Chris Christie 2016? His Next Term Will Be Critical to a Presidential Bid

On the heels of his decisive win in New Jersey, expect the calls for Chris Christie 2016 to start in earnest. He won big in a blue state and many think his brand and message is a roadmap for Republicans in the 2014 midterms and 2016 presidential election. I'm one of those that agrees. But, there are some detractors. 

The knock on Christie is that his I-do-what-it-takes-to-win style isn't the style of politics that the Tea Party base of the Republican party is drawn to, which is more focused on defending its ideas at all costs (even if it means losing elections). 

But even as much as many of us politicos would like to draw national implications from this specific race, for New Jerseyans, they just elected a new governor for the next four years and 2016 is still a ways away.

In the meantime, expect increased scrutiny of his every move in the state, as national leaders draw lessons from and further evaluate the big man with the golden touch in the Garden State.