Jeb on Christie: His Record in New Jersey Simply Can't Compare to Mine

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is a "great guy," rival GOP candidate Jeb Bush told Newsmax TV Friday, but he "doesn't have the proven record that I have."

Bush, who was governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007, told Newsmax TV's John Bachman and J.D. Hayworth that while both he and Christie have served as governors, there are many differences between their years of leadership.

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"He doesn't have the proven record that I have, whether it's on the Second Amendment, whether it's on the questions of life, whether it's on the fiscal issues, whether it's on the reform of an education system, where it's managing the pension system across the board, my record is better,' Bush said.

For example, under his leadership, Florida went from an AA bond rating to an AAA rating.

Bush also touted his record on education, telling Hayworth that under his leadership, "we were the first state to take on the teachers' union and win with the first and second and third statewide voucher programs in the country.

"I eliminated social promotion in third grade, which is a really radical ideal that is so essential for our success in education to have a gate where kids that can't read don't just go on to fourth grade. It creates these huge learning gaps."

Bush said he also replaced affirmative action in his state "with a leadership model that allowed for more African American and Hispanic kids to go to our universities."

Overall, he said of his record of success compared to Christie's, " there's no way that anybody could suggest that the Jersey record is better than that one."

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