Republican U.S. Senate frontrunner Dr. Rik Mehta today received a major endorsement from New Jersey’s 55th Governor and former Presidential Candidate Chris Christie.

Christie expressed his enthusiastic support for Mehta saying, “Dr. Mehta will stand with President Trump to hold China accountable, reopen our country and always stand up for New Jersey in Washington, DC.”

Governor Chris Christie, former U.S Attorney and Presidential candidate, was inaugurated as the 55th Governor of New Jersey in 2010. He was re-elected with 60% of the vote and served two full terms. He was elected Chairman of the Republican Governors Association in 2014, leading the organization to a record fundraising effort and the election of 31 Republican Governors. In 2017, President Trump appointed Christie as Chairman of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. Christie led the Commission on a seven-month investigation of this issue, holding hearings around the country.

Christie is currently working with Trump to help the president get re-elected in November.

“I am proud to receive Governor Christie’s endorsement of my campaign for U.S. Senate. Chris knows first-hand how to win state-wide elections and it is an honor to have him on our team. I look forward to working with him and together with President Trump to reopen our Country and bring manufacturing jobs back from China,” said Mehta.

Rik Mehta is the presumptive Republican candidate to face Cory Booker in the fall and has won the GOP County organizational lines to share the ticket with President Trump in 17 out 21 counties, including, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren County.