GOP party leaders will announce on Tuesday that New Jersey governor Chris Christie will deliver the keynote speech at the Republican National Convention in Tampa on August 28, reports the Star-Ledger. The paper obtained a statement by RNC Chairman Reince Priebus concerning the selection of Christie, who not long ago was rumored to be on Mitt Romney’s short list of candidates for his running mate.
>“As governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie has proven how bold Republican leadership gets results,” Priebus said. “He has fearlessly tackled his state’s most difficult challenges, while looking out for hardworking taxpayers. He is a leader of principle and conviction, and I am excited to hear him address the Republican National Convention as our keynote speaker.”
Christie is already on his fourth draft of the speech that he’s been “grinding away” on since Romney asked him to deliver the address, according to USA Today. Christie said of the role:
“It is an honor to be able to address our party and our nation in just a few short weeks. The challenges we face as a country are great and require the honesty and boldness of the Romney-Ryan team. We have an opportunity in Tampa to make clear that if we tell each other the hard truths, tackle the big problems, and make bold choices, we will see America’s comeback.”
