"I think he could do well here," said influential conservative leader Chuck Laudner of northwest Iowa, who was a key adviser in Santorum's campaign in 2012 but is unaligned now. "People like Chris Christie. He doesn't line up on a lot of issues with the base of the party, but there's a lot of respect for a guy who can win in a state like New Jersey, and for his straight talk. It depends on the dynamics six months or a year from now."