Gov. Chris Christie Jabs At Gov. Malloy On Connecticut Turf; Makes 3 Stops For GOP’s Linda McMahon In U.S. Senate Race

GLASTONBURY – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy have clashed for nearly two years over taxes and spending, throwing jabs at each other in newspaper and television interviews.

So it was not surprising that Christie mentioned Malloy on Monday night during a campaign stop for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon in front of a partisan, standing-room-only crowd at a Glastonbury restaurant.

“Someone just said, ‘Welcome to Connecticut. Be our governor,’ ” Christie said as the crowd cheered loudly.

“I was just at a stop with Linda, and state Senator Kane came up to the microphone and said, ‘I have an announcement to make. We’ve traded Dannel Malloy and a number one draft choice to New Jersey for Chris Christie. And he said we’ll throw in Chris Murphy, too.’ Let me just tell you something. I can’t let you screw my home state like that. I just can’t.”

Soon after those remarks, Christie’s microphone stopped working, and some in the crowd could not hear him clearly.

“Chris Murphy at it again!” Christie shouted to the crowd after the microphone cut out. “The good news is the guy from New Jersey doesn’t need a microphone.”

The sound system eventually began working again, prompting Christie to say, “Chris Murphy’s worst nightmare – a working microphone.”

As he had mentioned in an earlier stop in Waterbury, Christie referred to Murphy as “Nancy Pelosi’s butler.”

“Ms. Pelosi, how should I vote today?  Ms. Pelosi, can I get you a cup of tea?” Christie asked. “Ms. Pelosi, can I help you with your coat? Ms. Pelosi, what do you want me to do today for you that will hurt the people of Connecticut? … Let me tell you. On November 6, you are going to show you do remember the votes he made for his party and against his state, and you are going to give him a one-way ticket home from Washington, D.C.’’

After his remarks, Christie did not take any questions from reporters and left the restaurant. He then climbed into a black Suburban with New Jersey license plates and pulled out of the parking lot with other black cars in a motorcade.

Malloy’s senior adviser, Roy Occhiogrosso, said, “New Jersey’s unemployment rate is higher. Its budget is in bad shape, and its pension fund is a mess. Other than that, he’s doing a great job.”

The Malloy – Christie clash has been going on since soon after Malloy took office as governor in January 2011. When Malloy was asked by a Waterbury newspaper reporter if he was going to watch Christie’s keynote speech at the Republican National Convention in August 2012, Malloy responded, “That’s a big watch. I mean, it’s going to be a long speech.”