New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie preserved his chances of being picked to run as vice president and vetoed the gay marriage bill passed by the state assembly Thursday, as he promised, the Associated Press reports. "I am adhering to what I've said since this bill was first introduced — an issue of this magnitude and importance, which requires a constitutional amendment, should be left to the people of New Jersey to decide," Christie said in a statement. Though polls show a majority of New Jersey residents support gay marriage, a majority of Republicans do not. That's why Mitt Romney is portraying himself as a staunch defender of "traditional marriage" after governing Massachusetts, where same-sex marriage is legal, and why Christie, who is on lots of lists of potential vice-presidential nominee, needs to keep his hetero marriage bona fides rock solid.

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Elspeth Reeve