Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ), who traveled to Connecticut on Monday to campaign with GOP U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon, described McMahon’s opponent, Congressman Chris Murphy (D), as “Nancy Pelosi’s butler.”
“Linda’s whole life’s been about doing things, about creating wealth for others, about creating jobs, building businesses, building a family that she can be proud of and that you can be proud of, too,” Christie said. “Congressman Murphy is just about accumulating the next title.”
Christie humorously carried the Murphy-as-butler characterization further. “Ms. Pelosi, how should I vote today? Ms. Pelosi, can I get you a cup of tea? Ms. Pelosi, can I help you with your coat? Ms. Pelosi, what do you want me to do today for you that will hurt the people of Connecticut?” he said.
New Jersey’s governor also took some jabs at Connecticut’s Gov. Dannel Malloy (D-WFP), who recently received a grade of “F” from the Cato Institute in its Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors. Christie received a grade of “B” in the same report. Malloy has often proudly referred to himself as the “anti-Christie,” but has also been rated as one of the nation’s most unpopular governors.
“Someone just said, ‘Welcome to Connecticut. Be our governor,’ ” Christie told the crowd. He indicated that a Connecticut state senator approached the microphone, during one campaign stop, and announced, ” ‘We’ve traded Dannel Malloy and a No. 1 draft choice to New Jersey for Chris Christie.’ ‘And,’ he said, ‘we’ll throw in Chris Murphy, too.’ ” Christie joked, “Let me just tell you something. I can’t let you screw my home state like that. I just can’t.”
Christie praised McMahon for being an independent thinker. “She will work every day for the people of Connecticut. She will not forget who sent her, she will not be a handmaiden to the party bosses.”
McMahon is trying to become the first Republican Senator from Connecticut in 30 years.