Christie tells SC GOP about Romney’s personal side

TAMPA — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told South Carolina Republicans that he got some meaningful insight into former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney when their families met earlier this year.

Christie spoke to delegation members as part of the convention’s larger effort to introduce Romney’s personal side to the American people -- to show a side of Romney that many voters haven’t seen. Romney will accept his party’s nomination for president on stage here tonight.

He and his wife Ann dropped by Christie’s New Jersey home for lunch one Saturday several months ago, shortly after Christie ended speculation about his potential presidential bid.

Christie said he had hoped his children would make themselves scarce after meeting Romney, but instead, two of the Christies’ youngest children approached Romney outside, and he engaged them at length about the sports they played -- ice hockey and gymnastics.

As Christie watched his children frolick with the GOP’s would-be standard bearer, “it struck me. You can’t fake that.”

“If the American people see that heart in Mitt Romney, they will conclude they can trust him,” he said.

Christie was the first governor to endorse Romney, delivering the keynote address at this convention Tuesday night. Should Romney lose this fall, Christie could start visiting South Carolina more often probing a possible presidential run of his own.

S.C. GOP Chair Chad Connelly said, “There is no question Gov. Christie is a rising star.”

Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771.