New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is courting the left-leaning California business community this week in his bid for a second term.
Christie attended a $3,800-per-person luncheon yesterday at the Beverly Hills Hotel hosted by Allen Shapiro, CEO of Dick Clark Productions, and Richard “Skip” Bronson, co-founder of US Digital Gaming, an online gaming company, according to a source.
Within hours of the fundraiser, 3,000 miles away in Trenton, NJ, state lawmakers said they plan to move quickly to adopt an Internet gambling bill.
Less than a week before yesterday’s fundraiser, Christie said he would allow an online gambling bill only with provisions such as a 10-year trial period and higher taxes on online winnings.
Leaders of the state Senate and Assembly say they will vote Feb. 26 on Christie’s recommendations.
New York Giants football co-owner Steve Tisch attended the fundraiser, along with “Modern Family” star and Diet Pepsi spokeswoman Sofia Vergara and fiancé Nick Loeb.
Christie talked about his agenda to cut government spending to a crowd of 30 to 40 people that also included Los Angeles office landlord Dan Emmett, former Disney Executive Vice President Gary Wilson, and Mandalay Entertainment CEO and Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Peter Guber.
The Republican governor did not mention a presidential run, although he came across as being on the national stage, the source said.
Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg — who donated $100 million to Newark’s troubled school system but does not hail from the Garden State — will host a fundraiser for Christie today at his Palo Alto home.