Gov. Chris Christie Campaigning In Minnesota, Wisconsin
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Two of the biggest names in politics stopped off in Wisconsin today for one of the closest governor's races in the country.
First Lady Michelle Obama was in Milwaukee and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was in Hudson, Wis.
It was a high profile visit to a Hudson manufacturing plant that is expanding as the economy improves.
Christie put focus on a tough re-election battle for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
He called Walker a man of integrity who turned Wisconsin around, took on powerful unions and survived a 2012 recall.
"I don't think it's been all that divisive," Christie said. "I think 2012 settled that divisiveness, quite frankly. The fact is, the unions tried to recall this governor, and the people of Wisconsin spoke very clearly--they were not divided then."
Public opinion polls show a dead heat between the Republican governor and his Democratic challenger, Mary Burke.
First Lady Michelle Obama swooped into Milwaukee to endorse Burke. Burke is the former State Commerce Secretary and a Trek Bicycle executive.
Republican Jeff Johnson's campaign for governor is about to get a boost from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Christie, who is also chairman of the Republican Governors Association, will be in Minnesota on Oct. 13 to campaign for Johnson. Johnson spokesman Jeff Bakken says more details of the visit will come later.
Christie is just across the border in Wisconsin Monday. He's campaigning on behalf of Gov. Scott Walker in Hudson.
This is Christie's first visit to Wisconsin this year.
He's head of the Republican Governors Association, and he'll be in Minnesota two weeks from now, campaigning for Republican Governor candidate Jeff Johnson.
It's interesting seeing Christie and Walker together: they're both possible 2016 Republican presidential candidates.
But at the event, they sidestepped any talk of presidential politics. Both said their only focus is getting Walker elected governor first.
