Chris Christie’s brother: “I’m sure that he’s not going to run”

GlobalPost

The brother of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Tuesday said Christie will not run for president, despite speculation to the contrary.

"I'm sure that he's not going to run," Todd Christie told The Newark Star-Ledger. "If he's lying to me, I'll be as stunned as I've ever been in my life."

Three people close to Christie told the paper they were surprised by comments made Monday by former New Jersey Governor Tom Kean. Kean told National Review Online that Christie was “very seriously” considering a presidential bid.

“He’s giving it a lot of thought," Kean said. "I think the odds are a lot better now than they were a couple weeks ago.”

The sources close to Christie told the Star-Ledger that Kean and Christie had not spoken in about a week.

Fox News also reported Tuesday that Christie had ruled out a run:

Despite the intensity that has heightened in recent days as the New Jersey governor prepares to deliver a speech Tuesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, several people close to the governor insist he has not changed his mind to forego a presidential bid.

Meanwhile, Tuesday afternoon, ABC News reported that another anonymous source close to Christie called Todd Christie’s comments “were a little out of turn.”

“As of this time, his public statements that he is not running still stand,” the source told ABC News. “It is also accurate that he is thinking about it and reconsidering it.”

Christie's speech Tuesday night in California is titled "Real American Exceptionalism," and a Christie spokesperson told the Star-Ledger that the remarks will show "how the United States' role and significance in the world is defined by who we are at home."

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