Is Chris Christie About To Make A Comeback?

Early polling seems to suggest the Paris attacks didn’tquite change everything inthe political world (Donald Trump is still ontop!). But maybe they changedsomething? Might this moment force voters to give aserious and experienced governor a second look?

That’s what George Will suspects, at least.“Heightened security concerns might be [Chris]Christie’s opportunity,”Will writes in his recent column (which isappropriately titled: “After Paris, we should look to ChrisChristie“).

There’s an old saying that in baseball you’re neveras good as you look when you’re winning, and you’renever as bad as you look when you’re losing. This seems toapply to Christie. The fanfare and adulation he received a fewyears ago felt overwrought and premature, but his low poll numbersfor most of 2015 have seemed disproportionate to thesins he might or might not have committed.

This is an incredibly talented politician who, by all rights,ought to be tapping into the Republican base’s zeitgeist.He’s as irreverent and brash as Trump, but far moreexperienced. And in a world where national security takes onincreased importance, his law-and-order bona fides ought to accountfor something.

And maybe they will? “[S]omething remarkable hashappened,” observed NJ.com’s ClaudeBrodesser-Akner on Tuesday. “Christie’s ratingshave improved dramatically, now standing at a very positive 54percent favorable and just 32 percent unfavorable in NewHampshire.”

Every once in a while, the Granite State likes torescue people—to almost single-handedly revive the hopes anddreams of a politician on theropes. “Fortunately,” writes Will,“sufficient days remain for Republicans to reshuffle thedeck, to relegate Trump’s rampaging to thenation’s mental attic, and to recognize inChristie a serious political talent.”

Predictions of a Christie comeback might amount towishful thinking on the part of writers like George Will, butChristie has been underperforming for so long that one wonders whenthe markets might correct themselves. Sometimes miracles dohappen.

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