Does vetoing the marriage bill help or hurt Christie?

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

Will the fact that Christie vetoed a SSM bill help or hurt him in 2016? He basically did it so he could be a contender and become more popular with the conservative anti-gay crowd anyway.

I think it will hurt him by 2016. By then, SSM will have a leaning strong support amongst almost everyone other than olds.

[bballrox4717]

It won't have any more discernible effects than it would for another GOP nominee. The platform is going to oppose SSM regardless. The way Christie emphasizes it will determine the effect it will have on his candidacy.

[TarHeelDem]

It gives the Democrats something to throw at him in the campaign. Should have Christie win the GOP primary though.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Will the fact that Christie vetoed a SSM bill help or hurt him in 2016? He basically did it so he could be a contender and become more popular with the conservative anti-gay crowd anyway.

I think it will hurt him by 2016. By then, SSM will have a leaning strong support amongst almost everyone other than olds.

Krispy Kreme won't have my support. There's youngs who strongly oppose ssm as well as olds.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

By then, NJ will have same-sex marriage, and the candidates trying to stake their ground on opposing it will be seen as the extremists. I figure Christie will take the "the law's the law and I have more important things on my agenda" approach, which will be the right one. I think that veto on his record will likely make him a bit more acceptable to social conservatives and minimize the chance of a third party run if he wins the nomination, but it won't play a big role either way.

[TDAS04]

Probably help him in the primaries.  It could hurt him in the general election, but he needs to win the nomination first.

[Brittain33]

Will the fact that Christie vetoed a SSM bill help or hurt him in 2016? He basically did it so he could be a contender and become more popular with the conservative anti-gay crowd anyway.

I think it will hurt him by 2016. By then, SSM will have a leaning strong support amongst almost everyone other than olds.

Krispy Kreme won't have my support. There's youngs who strongly oppose ssm as well as olds.

I'm sure there are olds who support cuts to Medicare, too.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

Will the fact that Christie vetoed a SSM bill help or hurt him in 2016? He basically did it so he could be a contender and become more popular with the conservative anti-gay crowd anyway.

I think it will hurt him by 2016. By then, SSM will have a leaning strong support amongst almost everyone other than olds.

Krispy Kreme won't have my support. There's youngs who strongly oppose ssm as well as olds.

That is true, but their numbers are shrinking.

[Mister Mets]

I meant to vote for "It will help him" but accidentally clicked on "It will hurt him."

It helps with primary voters. There's a slight risk that it allows someone else to run to his left, but one of the top arguments for Christie among primary voters would be that that he's popular with the middle, but still an advocate for conservative views on hot button issues.

And in the general election, it helps with religious voters who would support Democrats on fiscal issues.

[This user has not been convicted of 34 felonies]

It won't have any effect in the primary and probably won't have a huge effect in the general

[eric82oslo]

It won't have any effect in the primary and probably won't have a huge effect in the general

It might have a huge effect in liberal-leaning battleground states.

[Liberalrocks]

Would likely help him in a GOP Primary but Hurt him among women and independents in a general election where  a democrat would be searching for ways to make him look non-mainstream. By 2016 SSM will have stronger majority support. May not be make or break but I think it will cost him some votes should he be nominated.

[pbrower2a]

It helps him if he gets the nomination. It hurts him getting the nomination because antipathy to gays and lesbians is red meat for the bulk of GOP primary voters.

[PolitiJunkie]

It helps him if he gets the nomination. It hurts him getting the nomination because antipathy to gays and lesbians is red meat for the bulk of GOP primary voters.

I think you are confused. The bill was a bill that would permit same-sex marriage. So, by your (accurate) logic, vetoing SSM would help him in a Republican Primary but hurt him in the general.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Will the fact that Christie vetoed a SSM bill help or hurt him in 2016? He basically did it so he could be a contender and become more popular with the conservative anti-gay crowd anyway.

I think it will hurt him by 2016. By then, SSM will have a leaning strong support amongst almost everyone other than olds.

Krispy Kreme won't have my support. There's youngs who strongly oppose ssm as well as olds.

Like a quarter of them?

[Peter the Lefty]

Help in the primaries, hurt in the general.

[barfbag]

He can veto it, oppose it, and then say each state should decide. It's pretty simple.

[morgieb]

Helps and hurts. Though it depends on how he spins it.

[Supersonic]

Help in the primary, help in the general. He needs the so-con vote, and moderates/independents won't base their vote just on same sex marriage.

[barfbag]

That's true remember not every single voter votes based on same sex marriage. There's a lot of straight people who care about other things.