in="
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When I decided to make this announcement, there wasnt any choice, Christie said. I had to come home. And Livingston is home for me.
During his speech, Christie called for reforming entitlements, growing the economy at 4 percent or greater and a foreign policy that projects strength across the world.
After 7 years of a weak and feckless foreign policy run by Barack Obama, we better not turn it over to his second mate, Hillary Clinton, Christie said.
We have to stop worrying about being loved, he said, and start caring about being respected again, both at home and around the world.
I am not running for president of the United States as a surrogate for being elected prom king of America, Christie said, part of his Telling It Like It Is campaign theme.
I am not looking to be the most popular guy who looks in your eyes every day and tries to figure out what you want to hear, say it, and then turn around and then doing something else, Christie promised. When I stand up on a stage like this in front of all of you, there is one thing you will know for sure. I mean what I say, and I say what I mean, and thats what America needs right now.
Christie was re-elected as governor in 2013 with more than 60 percent of the vote and was using that victory to establish himself as a top contender for 2016. But his popularity has taken a hit since then. He enters the race Tuesday not as frontrunner, but as underdog among the many Republicans seeking the same office.
Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Rick Perry, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Lindsey Graham, George Pataki, Jeb Bush, Donald Trump and Bobby Jindal are all running for president.
And more are expected: By the end of July, there should be at least 16 Republicans in the race. Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker are both expected to announce their entry into the contest.
Christie on Tuesday heads to New Hampshire for a series of town hall meetings. Its the state Christie has spent the most time in.
But for now, he still has work to do: according to the Real Clear Politics polling average of New Hampshire, he is currently in sixth place with 5.6 percent, behind Bush, Walker, Trump, Paul and Rubio.