Our prayers might be answered: Christie to decide on 2012 bid.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

And you can't compare records that simply. Christie is shaking things up in Jersey, sure, but did Romney really need to do that in MA?  As governor, Romney faced a 2000s Massachusetts which had vastly problems than a 2010s New Jersey.

Romney didn't shake things up in Massachusetts because he couldn't -- Democrats had veto-proof majorities of both houses during his tenure, and thus, the ability to legislate without him. And they did. Romneycare, as it's so lovingly put, was Romney working out the best deal he could with the hand he was dealt -- Democrats in the legislature wanted so much more, but they couldn't get the 66 2/3 to agree.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

George Pataki is very publicly pining for Christie, according to PolitickerNY:

“America is in a crisis, and none of the current candidates or the President has leveled with American public about what needs to be done to rescue our future,” Pataki said in a statement. “This country needs a straight shooter and a proven leader. I urge Governor Chris Christie to run for President to fill the void and lead America forward.”

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Honestly, given the way the primary system is set up, a candidate could theoretically not even run in a small handful of early primaries and still win. It's all about perception.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Even if he runs, as soon as he's outed as being by far the most liberal candidate, he'll fall apart faster than Perry did.

Simply being from New Jersey does not make Christie "by far the most liberal candidate." He's been a more consistently conservative governor than Romney.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

3. He, like Huntsman, expilictly believes in antropogenic global warming
4. He supports civil unions
5. He supported the "ground zero mosque"
6. He has actively called out anyone who thinks Sharia Law is an issue in the US, along with the Tea Party in general

Ah, so he should do well with the sane, mainstream conservative wing of the party that still dominates. Nice.

That's not the part of the party that is desperate for a candidate, though.

Actually, it is. Mitt's support is about a half-inch deep, based around the principle of "well, if this is all we've got ...". Mainstream conservatives want a candidate to be excited by, and mainstream conservatives would be very excited by Christie -- especially in an election dominated by fiscal/budget issues. After all, Christie's appeal is 50% budgetary, 50% attitude.