New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has assembled a fundraising committee for a potential presidential run in 2016 that includes several loyal supporters from the Garden State.
Each of the 27 people listed on the finance committee of Leadership Matters for America, Christie's PAC, are each committed to raising a minimum of $25,000,
The Wall Street Journal reported.
The 27-member committee is made up of local lobbyists, business owners and others who supported Christie when he first ran for governor in 2009. As a group, they have raised more than $1.7 million for mostly Republican candidates in New Jersey since 1981.
However, the Journal reports that the group does raise questions about how much help it will give Christie if he runs for president because the group has not historically given substantially to national campaigns.
Only two of the 27 donors have given more than $25,000 to political action committees that supported former presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2012. Five of the finance committee members gave less than $5,000 to other national campaigns and related committees over the last 15 years, but eight have donated $100,000 to national campaigns.
According to the Journal, analysts say these New Jersey donors will be key for supporting Christie's national campaign.
"As a sitting governor in a state, you should have a strong finance committee from your state," said Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak.
Politico reported that
GOP candidates, including Christie, will also be dipping into donors from Florida, which has become a mega-donor hotbed.
Christie was also part of a meet-and-greet at the home of
billionaire David Koch in Palm Beach, Florida, in March, along with other GOP presidential hopefuls and several influential Republican donors.