New Jersey
Gov. Chris Christie seems poised to resume his undeclared campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, with plans to visit New Hampshire this week that include the start of a town hall series on Wednesday and a speech on entitlements reform.
Christie has all along sold himself as a straight-talking problem-solver, yet there are five key areas where his positions are vague,
according to Bob Jordan of New Jersey's Asbury Park Press, writing in USA Today.
Christie needs to do a better job of outlining his positions on energy, taxes, foreign policy, immigration and gun control, wrote Jordan, who covers Christie from Trenton.
In February, Christie spoke of a comprehensive energy plan he would implement as president that "takes full advantage of all of the resources that we have available." According to Jordan, the governor has yet to provide any details — despite being asked for them.
He also said in February that "within the first 100 days, if I were to run for president and be elected, we would change this tax system in this country.'' Christie has not offered any follow-up as to what his tax reform would entail, wrote Jordan.
Though he made a three-day trip to England earlier this year to burnish his foreign policy credentials, Christie also has yet to explain how he would position the United States in the international arena, wrote Jordan.
On immigration, Christie has moved from openly supporting a pathway to citizenship for illegals to joining with the Republican governors suing President Barack Obama over his executive orders on immigration. When reporters sought clarification, the governor responded with "blank stares and total silence," wrote Jordan.
The New Jersey governor seemed to prevaricate on guns, too, according to Jordan. He has backed strict enforcement of gun laws as well as addressing the right "of law-abiding citizens to be able to protect ourselves."
Christie has, moreover, been disinclined to explicitly criticize presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Polls show she would carry the state if he were the GOP standard-bearer.
The governor would need to take a more assertive anti-Clinton stance if he expected to attract conservative GOP primary voters, wrote Jordan.