WASHINGTON — Gov. Rick Perry says that Chris Christie is doing a "fine job" as the chairman of the Republican Governors Association and should not resign that position amid an investigation into his administration over the closing of a bridge.
"Chris has addressed this the way he should have," he told NBC News. "He addressed the individuals who, it appears, were directly involved with it. And he's out doing what he needs to do as RGA chairman and raising money."
"Best I can tell, he's got support from the members from Maine to Nevada," said Perry, in D.C. as the nation's governors came to Washington for an annual meeting.
Perry dismissed the idea that he has been less than welcome at the RGA during Christie's tenure. A former RGA chairman himself with a substantially different personal and political style than Christie, Perry has at times been painted as a rival to his northeastern counterpart.
"We poke fun at each other," he said, adding that he views Christie not as a political competitor but as one of many fellow governors from whom he'd be happy to snag businesses willing to relocate to Texas.