New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) raised $1 million for the Republican Governors Association (RGA) at a fundraiser in Boston on Thursday night with former presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
The GOP governors group touted the haul in a tweet Thursday night. The RGA said it has raised more than $19 million since Christie took over the top post from Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) last November.
{mosads}The fundraiser comes as Christie, the chairman of the group, faces investigations into lane closures last year on the George Washington Bridge. Christie dismissed a top aide earlier this year after the release of emails that suggested the lanes were closed to exact political revenge on a Democratic mayor who did not endorse Christie’s reelection.
Christie was seen as a favorite for the 2016 GOP White House nomination before the scandal, but his approval numbers have taken a hit.
Earlier this month, the RGA announced it had its largest January fundraising haul in its history under Christie, bringing in $6 million. Despite the bridge controversy, Christie has been touring the country on a fundraising swing in recent weeks.
Earlier this week Christie said he was not going to give in to the “hysteria” of the bridge scandal and charged that the media, and not the public, are the ones focused on it.
The fundraiser came the same day as new documents were released that shed a more detailed light on the conversations Christie’s former deputy chief of staff had regarding the lane closures.
Romney has repeatedly defended Christie, who stumped for him during the 2012 presidential race.
Questions emerged during the campaign about the two Republicans’ ties after some faulted Christie for touring the New Jersey coastline after Hurricane Sandy with his arm around President Obama just days before the election.
Subsequent reports found Christie had irked Romney by demanding permission for Romney’s campaign to raise money in New Jersey. A book released last year also revealed Romney had passed over Christie for his vice presidential running mate in part due to questions about the vetting process.
However, Romney has said Christie would be a formidable candidate for the 2016 if he decides to enter the race.