MUSCATINE, Iowa -- Gov. Chris Christie told Iowa voters Tuesday that he wouldn't worry about his polling numbers when it comes to making decisions as president, holding up his record-low job approval rating in New Jersey as proof he can make tough decisions.

"You'll never have to worry about me doing what I say I'm going to do," the Republican presidential candidate said, speaking before a breakfast crowd at Elly's Tea and Coffee in Muscatine. "I'll make those decision, and if they turn out to be wrong, I'll fix them. ... I won't wring my hands and worry about my poll numbers."

The governor noted his approval ratings had bounced as high as 70 percent, and dipped into the 30s, too. The governor's job approval (33 percent) has slipped to its lowest point, and his disapproval rate has reached a new high, 62 percent.

However, Christie then argued that the reason for this was "cause I do things" -- making tough positions, without fear of offending people.

"It's a roller coaster," the governor said. "That's what public life is."

However, polling data suggests the real reason for Christie's drop in favorability has little to do with any policy position, and far more to do with his decision to spend most of his time out of state and most of his attention on running for the presidency.

Shortly after announcing his White House bid last summer, a July Monmouth University survey showed the reason his poll numbers had sunk was that a large majority of Garden Staters felt that Christie had abandoned his commitment to New Jersey.

Fully 3-in-4 of those polled (76 percent) said Christie was more concerned about his own political future than he was with governing the state. Just 17 percent said he put New Jersey first.

The governor, however, sought to capitalize on his low home state polling numbers as a sign that he could be relied upon to make unpopular decisions if they were the right ones.

After seven years of the soaring, eloquent rhetoric of President Obama, Christie said, what the American people really want is "a president who is willing to offend again."



Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.