Report: Christie nearing 2016 decision

Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) is nearing a decision on his presidential bid and could announce his decision as soon as next week, sources told Politico.

{mosads}Christie would likely be the 14th GOP candidate in a crowded primary if he decides to jump in — 12 have already announced, and Gov. Bobby Jindal (La.) is set to join later Wednesday.

Christie, a no-nonsense Republican from a deep blue state, earned a legion of supporters for his willingness to, at times, buck party lines. His 2012 embrace of President Obama after Hurricane Sandy both endeared him to his supporters and repulsed his detractors.

Once seen as a front-runner for the presidency, his popularity has taken a nosedive both in his state and nationally. Just 30 percent of New Jersey voters hold a favorable view of Christie, according to a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll released Tuesday.

And after once leading the 2016 presidential polls, he’s garnered between 4 percent and 6 percent support in recent polls. That’s good enough for eighth place, according to a RealClearPolitics average of polling.

If those poll numbers hold, he would be eligible for the main stage in the first Fox News debate in August, which could be a make or break moment, as he tries to rocket up the ranks and back into the top echelon of the field.