Former Gov. Chris Christie is touting his wife as a potential challenger to Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) in New Jersey’s 11th district next year.

Christie launched the trial balloon at a book signing Tuesday night at The Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University.

“Listen, the state would be incredibly lucky if Mary Pat Christie would run for office,” Christie said. “I’ve been trying to convince her that maybe she should run for Congress. I think she would be fabulous.”

He said the former First Lady would make a strong candidate.

“She’s learned a heck of a lot watching all my mistakes and she wouldn’t repeat them, which is really nice,” said Christie. “Anybody who’s met Mary Pat knows that she’s significantly more charming and better looking than me, so she’s got all the elements of a candidate.”

Christie said that if his wife did run, she would hire his former campaign strategist, Mike DuHaime.

DuHaime, who interviewed Christie at the Eagleton event, was quick to sign on to a Christie for Congress bid.

“Let’s go. Let’s go,” DuHaime told the former governor.

The Christie family has lived in Mendham in the 11th district for more than 25 years.

Mrs. Christie had a career as an investment banker but is now retired. In 2012, she founded the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund and raised $40 million to help the state recover from the storm.

Sherrill, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and assistant U.S. Attorney, was elected to Congress in the 2018 mid-term elections. She flipped a seat Republicans had held for 34 years by 47,362 votes, a 57%-42% margin.