US Election 2013: Chris Christie re-elected as New Jersey governor

Republican Chris Christie was easily re-elected governor of New Jersey.

Chris Christie was declared the unofficial winner by the US media just minutes after the polls closed.

“Thank you, New Jersey, for making me the luckiest guy in the world,” he told supporters after his victory.

Chris Christie won 60.5% of the vote, against 38% for Barbara Buono, with 99% of precincts reporting.

Analysts say Chris Christie’s popularity with voters in Democratic-leaning New Jersey makes him a contender for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, because it could enable him to claim broad political appeal.

Chris Christie was already a popular figure when Superstorm Sandy devastated the state’s coastline a year ago. His response to the storm attracted national attention.

While many in New Jersey support Barbara Buono’s positions, she has had difficulty raising money, even from Democrats, because of her relatively low profile.

The results of Tuesday’s polls could prove an early measure of the parties’ support ahead of the midterm elections of 2014, which will decide the make-up of the House of Representatives, one-third of the Senate, and the governorships in more than half the states.

In Washington, Barack Obama’s Democratic party controls the Senate, while the Republicans hold sway in the House of Representatives.