17035876-mmmain.jpg

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie listens to a question from the audience at the 3rd Annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner at The Grappone Center, Monday, Feb. 16, 2015, in Concord, N.H.

(Mary Schwalm/AP)

TRENTON — While traveling in New Hampshire on Monday to test the waters for his possible 2016 presidential run, Gov. Chris Christie said Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan seems more focused on running for higher elected office than taking care of her own state.

"The way she's governing now and what she did in 2012 and 2014 should be a cautionary tale for everybody in New Hampshire no matter whether you're a Republican or a Democrat or an independent," Christie said at a GOP dinner. "She will use this platform as a way to try to increase her own visibility and run for the next job. Let's be careful. You have enough of those types in Washington D.C. already. We don't need you to send anymore there."

Christie spent about the one-third of 2014 out of state campaigning for Republican candidates as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, including lots of stops in early presidential contest states Iowa and New Hampshire. By the time February is over, Christie will have spent a quarter of this month out-of-state, having made trips to the United Kingdom, Iowa, Illinois and New Hampshire, and another planned for California.

Democrats were quick to pounce on Christie's remark about the New Hampshire governor.

"Are you kidding me? He does that every single day. Not only in New Jersey, but across the country," said Democratic State Chairman John Currie.

Christie strategist Mike DuHaime did not respond to a request for comment.

The governor's out-of-state travel has taken a toll on his favorability ratings. A Fairleigh Dickinson / PublicMind poll released last month found 72 percent of New Jersey voters say Christie's decisions as governor are influenced by his desire to run for the White House "most or some of the time," and 31 percent said this was the case "most of the time."

NJ Advance Media staff writers Matt Arco and Claude Brodesser-Akner contributed to this report

Top Chris Christie quotes 17 Gallery: Top Chris Christie quotes

MORE POLITICS

Matt Friedman may be reached at mfriedman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattFriedmanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.