Christie leaving campaign trail as storm bears down at home

Chris Christie has shot down accusations that he changed his mind about leaving the presidential campaign trail and returning to his home state as it was pounded by a massive snowstorm.

Further, New Jersey Transit service will end at 2 a.m., and won’t return until further notice, its restoration dependent on an assessment of weather conditions.

A blizzard warning covers a large swath of the state stretching from Hudson County in the New York City area southwest to Salem County, near Philadelphia. I’ve been proud in recent years to see the attitude with which my home state’s Governor has tackled the national stage.

Of particular concern to emergency management officials along the New Jersey coast are the three high-tide cycles coupled with a full moon beginning early Saturday morning as the storm is expected to start growing in strength.

Meanwhile, Christie, who first said he did not believe he would head home from the campaign trail in New Hampshire, reversed course and chose to come home.

Maybe if Christie stays tucked away safely in New Hampshire, he hopes to avoid the REAL disaster: another partisan gaffe in the form of a hug with a Democratic President in a time of need, weeks ahead of Super Tuesday. They could also help the state seek federal assistance if the scope of the event exceeds state resources.

The Delaware River Port Authority says it’s gearing up for the major snowstorm headed for New Jersey.

Weather followers predicted 40-50 miles per hour wind speeds and snowdrifts that could wreak havoc up and down the New Jersey Turnpike. “We have very much said that we can and will do better for this storm”.

The state is facing a blizzard warning with between 4 and 14 inches of snow, according to CBS.

New York City is probably in for a foot or so of snow, but weather models have been insisting on a very sharp northern cutoff for accumulations with this storm.

“I’ve got to go home”, Christie told a crowd in New Hampshire.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said the state was the first to declare of a state of emergency and is prepared to shut highways because “you ought to err on the side of caution”.

The agency’s forecast called for 18 to 24 inches of snow in the tri-county area, up from a previous prediction of 12 to 18 inches. “If they’re what I think they will be, which is plowed and under control, and the weekend so nobody’s having to run anywhere, then I’ll come back on Sunday”, Christie said.