Former Virginia Republican gubernatorial nominee Ken Cuccinelli said Tuesday that "it makes sense" for controversy-scarred New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to step down as chairman of the Republican Governors Association.
Appearing
on CNN, Cuccinelli said Christie has been tainted by the Bridge-gate traffic controversy, and "perception is reality."
"[I]t makes sense for him to step aside from that role," Cuccinelli said. "He does not serve the goals of that organization by staying its chairman."
Cuccinelli added resigning the chairmanship "doesn't mean any of the charges... are substantive or not. It doesn't matter. Perception is reality."
Cuccinelli, who last November lost a close race to Virginia's Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, said the scandal had compromised Christie's effectiveness as the RGA chairman, but conceded it's "still relatively new."
"He may well step down... " he said. "He may get some counsel from other governors along those lines."
Cuccinelli is the most high-profile Republican to call for Christie to step aside from the RGA chairmanship, and most other Republican governors are sticking by the embattled Garden State executive,
The Hill reported.
Over the weekend, Christie ventured to Florida to help fundraise for Gov. Rick Scott, but the pair largely stayed hidden from public view, the
Sun-Sentinel reported.
But Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, took the opportunity to bash both of them.
“It’s interesting that while Chris Christie is spending the entire weekend in Florida with Governor Scott, they won’t have a single public appearance," she said. "Either Chris Christie doesn’t want to face the press or Governor Scott doesn’t want to be seen publicly with Chris Christie, who is an embattled governor, and I think it’s probably a little bit of both."
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