PISCATAWAY -- Don't worry, Gov. Chris Christie says, Donald Trump will bring his presidential campaign to New Jersey sometime in the six weeks before the state's June 7 primary.

"Donald will be here," Christie, a fellow Republican who endorsed Trump's bid for the GOP presidential nomination, said Friday during a news conference at Rutgers University.

"He's got a friend who's the governor," Christie added. "If I ask him to come, he'll come."

Trump, the billionaire businessman and Republican front-runner, has many ties to New Jersey: He owns three golf courses here, he once owned three Atlantic City casinos, and he's been friends with Christie for more than a decade.

But the real estate mogul has yet to treat New Jersey to the spectacle of his campaign rallies, which often draw thousands of spectators and waves of news coverage.

That could change soon. While New Jersey's primary has often been an after-thought in presidential races because it falls toward the end of the primary schedule, Trump is in the midst of a hunt for delegates.

He needs to collect 1,237 delegates to secure the GOP nomination before the party's national convention in July. If he doesn't reach that number, the party could select another nominee in a contested convention.

Christie said on his monthly radio show this week that New Jersey's primary -- in which the winner gets all 51 of the state's delegates -- will clinch the nomination for Trump. The businessman is heavily favored in the polls here.

Of course, as Christie said Friday, Trump has many primaries "to worry about well before ours at the moment."

On Tuesday alone, five states vote: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.

Plus, New Jersey votes on the same day as California, a much larger state, with 172 delegates. Experts say that could be Trump's priority.

Does that mean he might skip New Jersey? No chance, Christie repeated.

"I have a fairly decent amount of influence with the guy," the governor said. "So I think he'll show up if I ask him. You'll get to see him in person. Right then."

"Maybe even he and I standing together," Christie joked. "It'll be the thrill of a lifetime for you. So get ready."

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.