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Who to look for on Trump's VP short list: Chris Christie

In this photo taken March 14, 2016, Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump shakes hands with New Jersey Gov. The 53-year-old Republican was once considered the front runner for the GOP presidential nomination. 

Donald Trump has said he will announce his choice for a running mate this week, in advance of the start of the Republican National Convention on Monday.

Here is a look at one of the four men most likely to join Trump as a vice presidential candidate – Chris Christie.

Chris Christie

Governor, New Jersey

Age

53

Who is he?

Christopher James Christie was born in Newark, N.J. in 1962. Christie had an early introduction to politics, volunteering to help on a political campaign when he was only 15 years old. 
Christie became an attorney and then a  partner in a law firm before he was appointed a U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey. After four years as a U.S. attorney, Christie ran for governor of New Jersey in 2009, and beat popular Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine. He was reelected in 2013.
He was a candidate for the 2016 Republican nomination for president, but dropped out of the race in February without winning a state primary and coming in sixth in the New Hampshire primary.

He is known in New Jersey for opposing employee unions, taking on corrupt politicians and fighting terrorism. He has been embroiled in a scandal of his own  over the closure of the George Washington Bridge which was said to have been done in an effort to punish a mayor who did not support Christie.

One of Trump’s closest confidants, Christie is one of his party’s most effective attack dogs and a talented retail campaigner, and has proven to be a crowd-pleaser on the trail.

What they are saying about Chris Christie

Trying out for the job

 The  New York Times

“Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey offered a glimpse Monday of just what he might bring to the Republican ticket as Donald J. Trump’s running mate, presenting himself as a law and order executive in an appearance with Mr. Trump in Virginia Beach. Speaking for nearly eight minutes before Mr. Trump gave his own remarks, Mr. Christie joined the growing list of Republicans — including both Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee and Newt Gingrich last week — to appear alongside Mr. Trump as he works to select his No. 2 in a public auditioning evocative of his reality television show, “The Apprentice.” After the racially charged tragedies that have roiled the nation — the assassination of five Dallas police officers by a sniper and the killing of black men by police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota — Mr. Christie spoke forcefully about “safety and security” as the two greatest issues facing the country.”

Maybe he is the one for the job

Politico

“Chris Christie has said it over and over: He can’t “imagine” being vice president. His personality just isn’t cut out for the role. But the way Christie has been governing New Jersey over the past couple of months has many Trenton insiders convinced he’s angling for a spot on the ticket with Donald Trump, whose transition team he’s leading and who hinted at it as far back as November, when he said Christie could have a “place” in his administration. Christie has fiercely guarded his reputation as a strong executive, taken pains not to see his vetoes overturned and put forward sweeping proposals that anger liberals and have little chance of passing.”

The Associated  Press contributed to this report.