Watch CBS News

Christie on GOP Senate: "We need to get things done"

Chris Christie joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss the election
Gov. Chris Christie on successful election night for GOP 06:32

As chairman of the Republican Governors Association, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie campaigned for most of the GOP winners in the midterm elections.

After traveling to 37 states, Christie said he's proud of the hard work put forth by his party's governors and looks forward to progress in a Republican-controlled Senate.

"We need to get things done ... and put things on the president's desk," Christie said on "CBS This Morning."

He said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has "protected" President Obama in the past and insisted that's something Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will change when the Republicans take over in January.

"Any of the real tough issues have never made it to the president's desk because they went to the Senate to die," Christie said, "and I think that won't happen now."

Among Christie's expectations include tax reform and a national energy policy.

Of all the results this election, Christie was most impressed by Maine's re-election of Gov. Paul LePage.

"Paul LePage is just one of the most decent, honorable people I've ever met -- wears his heart on his sleeve, loves his state, has an amazing personal story," he said.

Other Republican victories in gubernatorial races include Gov. Scott Walker's win in Wisconsin, Gov. Rick Snyder in Michigan, Gov. Rick Scott in Florida and Gov. Sam Brownback in Kansas.

Gov. Christie tells heckler to "sit down and shut up" 03:53

Christie also spoke about his recent spar with a heckling protester.

"Fact is, I'm never going to apologize for being who I am," he said. "And if somebody stands up for two minutes holding up a sign, yelling over me, they're eventually going to be calm or I'm going to say, 'OK, you want to give it? You're going to get it.'"

Looking to the future, Christie applauded the 24 percent of respondents who said in the CBS News exit poll that he would make a good president. But he insisted that's not on his radar right now.

"The fact is it's way off, and my view on all this is that my job this year was to elect Republican governors and re-elect Republican governors," he said. "... All my political activity was on this, and I think this morning we feel really good that we all stayed united together and we got the job done."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.