Is this Chris Christie's version of rebuilding his GOP Creds? .. Nominating a Democrat as his state’s Chief Justice

Last week, Chris Christie announced who he was going to nominate as chief justice of New Jersey's Supreme Court — the current chief justice, Democrat Stuart Rabner. After years of fighting between Christie and the state's Democrats over court seats, Rabner's renomination is an olive branch from the governor. But in placating local liberals, Christie has angered national conservatives — and this could return to dog him in a future presidential primary. "If he's president then we can expect a Christie Court to look no different from an Obama Court," conservative activist Brent Bozell said in a statement.

The battle over court seats has been so contentious because New Jersey has an unusual two-tiered confirmation system. Once a justice is first appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate, he or she serves an initial term of 7 years. After that, the governor has the power to choose whether to renominate the justice. If the justice is renominated and confirmed, he or she will get tenure and be allowed to serve until turning 70, when mandatory retirement kicks in.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

If you like what you see, please "Like" us on Facebook either here or here. Please follow us on Twitter here.