New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is making a play to be the next chairman of the Republican National Committee.
On Thursday, the rival-turned-endorser told top members of President-elect Trump’s transition team that he is interested in the top GOP post, according to sources familiar with the matter. Christie endorsed Trump just weeks after ending his own campaign.
A one-time Cabinet candidate, Christie ran Trump’s transition before he and his allies were purged from the operation in the week after Election Day. News of Christie’s interest was first reported by Politico.
While their political operations have had a falling out, Christie and Trump remain close and still speak frequently. Christie’s would bring experience of leading the Republican Governors Association during the 2014 cycle to the post, during which he was a prodigious fundraiser. Current RNC chairman Reince Priebus was tapped last month by Trump to serve as his chief of staff—a job Christie coveted.
While the RNC chairman is elected by the 168-members of the party’s governing body, broad latitude is traditionally given to a sitting president to select someone for the post. The election for the next chairman is set for the week of Trump’s inauguration.