Christie calls governor candidate a jerk

Associated Press | AP

Show Caption Hide Caption NewsBreak: Atlantic City investment; Comey set to testify Reaction to Trump's Paris Accord decision; Atlantic City investment; Comey set to testify

TRENTON - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says that he has great admiration for all but one of the candidates running to replace him.

Christie says he has admiration for anyone willing to put themselves in the arena to fight it out. But he says he has no admiration for Bill Brennan. The former Teaneck firefighter who brought a civil case against Christie in the 2013 George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal.

Christie called him a “jerk” and a “knucklehead.”

He also called Democratic front-runner Phil Murphy a fraud.

Christie riffed on Murphy’s decision to accept public financing if he’s in the general election. He says that he would expect a third-party independent group to start taking out ads “kicking the bejesus” out of the Republican in the race if Murphy’s lead falls under double digits.