Bush spoke to the governors in a steak house at the posh Phoenician Resort. Bush appears at Christie's request

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — George W. Bush made a surprise appearance Thursday at the Republican Governors Association meeting here.

The former president flew in from Dallas at the request of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who became chairman of the RGA earlier in the day.


Bush spoke to the governors in a steak house at the posh Phoenician Resort. The conversation was closed to the press.

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Christie just won reelection by 22 points in his blue state two weeks ago. He is using the margin to present himself as someone with unique crossover appeal ahead of an almost certain 2016 presidential run.

There are parallels to what Bush did in Texas. He won reelection to a second term in 1998 by an astonishing 37 points, carrying 40 percent of Latinos and 27 percent of African Americans. That victory set Bush on the path to the GOP nomination in 2000.

That Bush came for Christie is also notable because his brother, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, is also a potential candidate for president in 2016.

The Democratic Governors Association seized on 43’s visit.

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“Republican governors are implementing the very same Bush-era economic policies that crushed the middle class for the benefit of the wealthiest Americans and major corporations,” said communications director Danny Kanner. “For the sake of the working families in their states, we’re hoping they kept the discussion to the weather.”

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