Governor Chris Christie Undergoes Lap Band Surgery in NJ
Gov. Chris Christie — whose weight has long been the subject of public worry and late-night talk show jokes — secretly underwent lap-band stomach surgery in February in an effort to shed pounds, his office confirmed today.
The New York Post reported this morning that Christie said family and friends urged him to take the step after he turned 50 in September.
“I’ve struggled with this issue for 20 years,” the governor told the newspaper. “For me, this is about turning 50 and looking at my children and wanting to be there for them.”
Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Christie, confirmed the Post’s report but declined further comment.
Christie, a husband and father of four, stressed that he was not motivated by a possible run for president, the Post’s report said. The governor is considered a leading Republican presidential candidate in 2016, and his weight is seen as a potential liability.
“It’s so much more important than that,” Christie told the newspaper.
“I know it sounds crazy to say that running for president is minor, but in the grand scheme of things, it was looking at Mary Pat and the kids and going, “I have to do this for them, even if I don’t give a crap about myself,” he added.
Sources told the Post that Christie has already lost 40 pounds. He has never publicly revealed his weight.
