TRENTON -- Republican front-runner Donald Trump is committed to defeating a 2016 GOP rival in Tuesday's Ohio primary, even if it means throwing Gov. Chris Christie under the bus.

The billionaire businessman accused Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Monday of being an "absentee governor" for spending so much time in New Hampshire on the campaign trail and neglecting his full-time job. Trump, aiming to drive his point home, went as far as to call out New Jersey governor's full-time campaigning.

"Your governor, Kasich," Trump told a crowd at an Ohio rally. "If you look at him, and I'm being totally impartial, he goes to New Hampshire (and) he's living in New Hampshire."

Trump then started looking around the lectern.

"Where's Chris? Is Chris around?" Trump asked. "(Kasich was there) even more than Chris Christie."

Trump smiled after finding Christie over his shoulder.

"Right?" Trump continued.

He added: "I hated to do that but I had to make my point."

Christie, who spent Monday on the campaign trail with Trump, has faced criticism from voters at home for his time on the road. The jabs about spending so much time out of state and on the campaign trail also came from 2016 rivals, including Trump, who blasted Christie's handling of New Jersey's economy, stressing that the state has seen nine credit downgrades under the governor and arguing he should return to New Jersey.

"We love New Hampshire, but he shouldn't be up here all the time," Trump said in December. "He's supposed to be running the state."

Even more recently, Christie's out-of-state travel for Trump spurred unlikely critics: Garden State Republican lawmakers.

In an unusual move for the local GOP who often fall in line with their governor, several state lawmakers said this month Christie should either serve the state or campaign for Trump -- but not both.

State Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) said Christie "cannot continue to serve as our governor" if he's going to go on the campaign trail for the Republican 2016 front-runner.

Christie launched his presidential bid in June. The out-of-state campaigning, coupled with travel related to his time as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, meant Christie spent 261 partial or full days traveling outside of New Jersey in 2015 -- representing 72 percent of the year.

The governor has criticized media outlets for reporting "partial" days he spent out of state last year, which included short trips he took to neighboring Pennsylvania and New York, where Christie often traveled to appear on news programs or speak at events before returning home. The administration argues Christie spent 190 days out of state last year if you exclude those trips.

That's still 52 percent spent outside New Jersey.

Gov. Chris Christie with Donald Trump 25 Gallery: Gov. Chris Christie with Donald Trump

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook. Follow NJ.com Politics on Facebook.