It wasn't all bad for Chris Christie in 2016.

The guy he backed for president -- despite overwhelming criticism and long odds -- actually won.

He garnered praise in New Jersey for his abiding support of addiction recovery.

There were some encouraging gains in the state-run Camden school district.

And he's still got a pretty sweet job.

That said, The Auditor also knows this was one disappointing year for New Jersey's colorful and combative governor, who suffered losses from snowy New Hampshire down to gritty Trenton.

The year that began with Christie still hoping to stay in the presidential race ended with him back in Jersey as a lame duck with record-low approval ratings.

Along the way, there have been many low-lights in this roughest of political years for Christie. Here are 10 embarrassing moments, in chronological order:



1. The "mop" mess

Christie, who repeatedly said he was the most "tested" presidential candidate for having faced down Superstorm Sandy, found himself in a tough spot in January when a nor'easter dumped 2 feet of snow over much of New Jersey as he campaigned in New Hampshire. When an attendee at one of his myriad New Hampshire town halls asked why he wasn't in his home state, overseeing the clean-up effort in heavily flooded shore areas of Cape May County, Christie testily responded: "I don't know what you want me to do, you want me to go down there with a mop?"

The comments brought bad publicity at just the wrong time.



2. A 6th place finish in New Hampshire's primary



After pinning his hopes on the New Hampshire primary -- and spending a whole lot of time in the state Christie finished in sixth place. It meant he didn't even qualify for the next GOP debate the following Saturday in South Carolina, effectively ending his campaign. To make matters worse, it came just days after Christie's biggest moment in the campaign: when he demolished Florida senator Marco Rubio during what would be his final debate.



3. Hostage face

Christie faced a firestorm from establishment Republicans, including those in his own campaign, for endorsing Donald Trump not long after ending his White House bid. But that was nothing compared to the social media mock-fest that came after Christie introduced Trump and stood behind him with what can only be described as a blank stare on his face. Was he frightened? Was he thinking he'd made a big mistake? Did Trump take him hostage? There was even a hashtag #FreeChrisChristie. The governor said he was just happy to be there. "All these armchair psychiatrists should give it a break," he said.



4. Vice President? Always a bridesmaid...

For the second time in four years, Christie was on the short list for vice president. And once again, he came up short. Christie's bet on Trump had paid off, but he faced stiff competition in the veepstakes. If it is to be believed, one version of the story was excruciating for Christie: The Donald wanted him and actually offered it. But others in Trump's camp, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, whose father Christie had put in jail when he was a federal prosecutor, reportedly argued against him. Trump went with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.



5. Bridgegate haunts again

Christie's former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, and his top appointee to the Port Authority, Bill Baroni, were both found guilty for their roles in the Bridgegate scandal, which had already helped torpedo Christie's presidential run. Christie wasn't charged in the scheme to close lanes on the George Washington as political payback to a mayor who refused to endorse him for governor in 2013. But the trial did lots of damage as witnesses alleged he knew more than he let on and his administration was depicted as bullying and vengeful. Kelly even said that in a fit of anger, Christie threw a water bottle at her during a meeting. Christie denied it all during an interview on Charlie Rose the day before Election Day.



6. Transition chair no more

Just days after Trump's stunning Election Day victory, Christie was ousted as chairman of the president-elect's transition team and Pence was in. Lots of reasons were given, but the bottom line was that Christie was no longer the go-to guy in putting together Trump's cabinet.



7. Hey, I'm still the governor.

Nobody likes to be treated as yesterday's news while still in office. That's how it was for a few weeks as many thought Christie would be part of Trump's cabinet. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, who would assume Christie's job if he left early and is expected to run for governor next year, had planned to make a speech to the state's League of Municipalities, a task Christie had left for her for several years. But the governor apparently wasn't pleased with she planned to say, so he flew up from a Florida Republican governor's conference and made his own speech.



8. A Christie-less cabinet

No longer in charge of selecting Trump's cabinet, Christie didn't land in it either. Christie was passed over for U.S. Attorney General and, despite his lobbying for the post, nixed as chairman of the Republican National Committee, too. Sources close to the transition told NJ Advance Media that Christie turned down Trump offers for other posts, including head of Homeland Security and ambassador to Italy.



9. How low can he go?

Back home, Bridgegate, running for president and backing Trump took its toll. The latest polls put Christie's approval rating in the high teens, among the lowest ever for a New Jersey governor, and a historic low for any governor in the nation in states surveyed by Quinnipiac University.



10. No book deal

Lawmakers in Trenton abandoned Christie when legislation that would allow him to profit from a book deal while in office derailed after it was placed on the fast track by the governor just before the holiday recess.