Cuccinelli: Christie should step down as RGA chairman

Former Virginia gubernatorial nominee Ken Cuccinelli (R) is calling on New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) to step down as chairman of the Republican Governors Association in the wake of the bridge scandal.

Cuccinelli, who in November lost a close race to Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), said Christie’s ability to be a surrogate for other gubernatorial candidates had been compromised by the scandal, in which top Christie aides ordered lane closures on the George Washington Bridge to snarl traffic in a town whose mayor refused to endorse his reelection bid.

{mosads}”I think just from the perspective of setting aside this as an issue in other races, it makes sense for him to step aside in that role. He does not serve the goals of that organization by staying as chairman. And that doesn’t mean any of the charges, political or otherwise, are substantive or not, it doesn’t matter; perception is reality,” Cuccinelli said Tuesday evening on CNN.

Cuccinelli went on to say he thought it was possible Christie might do so.

“Well, frankly, I think this is still relatively new, and he may well step down. I have no idea what his thinking is on that. And he may get some counsel from some other governors along those lines,” he said.

Cuccinelli is the highest-profile Republican to call for Christie to leave his position as lead fundraiser and top surrogate for other Republican governors. Most other GOP governors have rallied around the New Jersey governor.

The scandal is taking a toll on Christie’s poll numbers and is likely hurting his prospects as a presidential candidate.