Chris Christie News: If He Couldn't Be Attorney General, New Jersey Governor Didn't Want Any Administration Post

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was among the first major Republicans to support Donald Trump’s candidacy, reportedly turned down several proposed positions in the incoming administration after he was demoted as chair of the transition team, passed over for attorney general and nixed as head of the Republican National Committee.

Christie joins former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on the sidelines despite their efforts in getting Trump elected president.

NJ Advance Media reportedChristie was offered Cabinet-level positions in Homeland Security or Veterans Affairs. He also was offered positions as White House adviser and ambassador to Italy, the report said.

The only administration job Christie wanted, however, was attorney general, the report said. Trump, however, has designated Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., another early Trump supporter, as his choice to head the Justice Department.

Earlier this week, sources told NJ Advance Media Christie would not get the chairmanship of the RNC either. Reince Priebus, who was selected by Trump as chief of staff, reportedly wants to choose his own successor to head the GOP and rejected Christie, who had been lobbying for the job.

Christie’s reputation suffered from the so-called bridgegate scandal that involved Christie aides causing a traffic nightmare at the entrance to the George Washington Bridge in political payback to the mayor of Fort Lee, who had declined to endorse Christie in his last campaign for governor.

The scandal was also thought to be a factor in Trump’s decision to pass over his longtime friend and choose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.

Giuliani took his name out of consideration for secretary of state Friday. He reportedly also declined offers of other Cabinet positions, including attorney general. Gingrich said in mid-November he had no plans to join a Trump Cabinet, preferring instead to be involved in strategic planning.

Christie said two weeks ago he planned to complete his term as governor but “if something extraordinary happens … where my service is needed, I will consider any requests that are made.”

Christie’s approval ratings have fallen to 19 percent, a Quinnipiac University poll taken Nov. 28-Dec. 4 among 1,318 New Jersey voters, indicated, the lowest the poll has found for any governor in two decades of polling in nearly a dozen states. His approval rating had been as high as 72 percent in 2012.

Christie last month met with state lawmakers to talk about overturning a law that prohibits a sitting governor from profiting from the publication of a book, the North Jersey Record reported.