Chris Christie Urges DC Republicans to Vote for Patrick Mara

The DC Republican party is phoning 10,000 GOP members Friday with a message from New
Jersey governor
Chris Christie urging them to vote for
Patrick Mara in Tuesday’s special council election.

“Bring balance and accountability to the DC Council by voting for Patrick Mara next
Tuesday, April 23,” Christie tells Republicans.

DC GOP party chair
Ron Phillips says he spoke with Christie at a national RNC meeting in Los Angeles last week and
asked him to record the message.

“He was all for it,” Phillips says.

The
Washington Post weighed in Friday with its third endorsement of Mara. He’s the only Republican running
against five other candidates to fill the at-large seat vacated when
Phil Mendelson moved up to council chair. Four are Democrats in a blue city where Democrats outnumber
Republicans ten to one.

The Christie call could cut both ways in the election. It could rally Republicans
to hit the polls, but it makes the race a more partisan affair. Mara and his supporters
have been pitching independent voters hard, with messages that Mara is the clean,
fresh antidote to a council controlled by Democrats.

Observers expect a low turnout, and a strong showing by Republicans could swing the
election Mara’s way. If Republicans don’t vote, he’s likely to lose.

Here’s the text of Christie’s message:

“Hello, this is Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey. I am calling today in support
of Patrick Mara, the only Republican candidate running in next Tuesday’s special election
for DC Council.

“As a reformer myself, I respect and applaud Patrick Mara’s focus on fiscal responsibility,
improving education, and ethics reform. Our country needs to elect accountable, responsible
leaders like Patrick Mara at all levels of local government.

“But Patrick can’t do it alone—he needs your help. Bring balance and accountability
to the DC Council by voting for Patrick Mara next Tuesday, April 23. Thank you.”

Harry Jaffe