New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was in Bethesda Wednesday to help raise funds for Republican gubernatorial candidate Larry Hogan.
The Baltimore Sun reported that the event raised an estimated $400,000 from the 62 people who attended, according to Hogan. A picture of Christie walking into the event shows it appeared to take place somewhere on Bethesda Row.
Media wasn’t invited into the lunch event.
GOP blocks the windows of a Bethesda restaurant where NJ Gov. Chris Christie will host a fundraiser for Larry Hogan pic.twitter.com/szeqmyjGMq
— Erin Cox (@ErinatTheSun) September 17, 2014
Outside the event, Christie told Sun reporters, “This race is closing, and that’s why I’m here. In the beginning it didn’t look like a race that was going to be tight, but it is tight now. That’s why I’m here, and that’s why the [Republican Governors Association (RGA)] is going to be here to help him because we think he’s got a good chance.”
Christie remains popular in Republican circles, and he serves as the chairman of the RGA, but his national profile took a significant hit after stories broke last year about his role in closing down lanes on the George Washington Bridge amidst a political kerfuffle.
Hogan has been frequently campaigning in Montgomery County, according to his campaign manager Adam Dubitsky. Dubitsky said the campaign sees an opportunity to take votes from Hogan’s challenger, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, in the heavily-Democratic county. There are about 380,000 registered Democrats in the county compared with 132,000 Republicans, according to the county’s Board of Elections.
A CBS News/ New York Times poll released last week found Brown leading Hogan 51 percent to 37 percent.
@The_RGA Chairman Christie raises over $400K for @Hogan4Governor at Bethesda event; Says Hogan can win in November pic.twitter.com/unlDoH9jLI
— Avenel Strategies (@AvenelStrategy) September 17, 2014
