White House hopeful Chris Christie has been snubbed by organizers of this weekend's Values Voter Summit in Washington
The New Jersey governor was left off the speakers' roster because "we only invited conservatives that we work with," Tony Perkins, president of Summit sponsor Family Research Council, told
The Hill.
Perkins has criticized Christie in the past, saying in 2011 that the governor "would have a difficult time gaining a lot of support from social conservatives" if he ran for president in 2012.
Christie is a potential candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 2016. Other possible candidates who are speaking at the event include Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Ted Cruz of Texas; Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin; and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Former Florida Rep. Allen West and one-time Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum also are due to appear.
Ryan won't actually attend the event because he's busy with budget and debt ceiling negotiations. But in a pre-recorded speech, he urges attendees to support a budget compromise with Democrats.
"Now, this president, he wont agree to everything we need to do," Ryan says in the speech, according to
The Hill. "A budget agreement — with this president and this Senate — won't solve all of our problems. But I hope it's a start."