What New Jersey Journalists Want You To Know About Chris Christie

They say the image of the New Jersey governor in campaign coverage is lacking in important details.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is garnering increased attention among Republican candidates thanks to a rise in his New Hampshire polling numbers, is misleading many about his economic record, has a history of big corporate tax breaks, and continues to fall in the polls back home, according to Garden State journalists who have covered him for years.

Many reporters and editors who have followed Christie's career for the past six years as governor, and before that as U.S. attorney, say the image of Christie in campaign coverage is lacking in important details.

"I think New Jersey's economic record will get talked about a lot. It is not as good as he portrays it being," said Michael Symons, a statehouse reporter for Gannett's six New Jersey newspapers. "He says job growth under him has been more than it was under the past four governors. That is in part the result of the national economy. New Jersey as it compares to other states, only 7 or 8 states have a lower rate of private sector job growth when you go back to when he took office."

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