NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican star who has enjoying record-high popularity for his hands-on approach to Superstorm Sandy, on Monday filed papers announcing his intention to seek a second term next November.
Christie, a popular surrogate on Republican Mitt Romney's failed presidential campaign, delivered the keynote address at the Republican National Convention this summer and is considered a popular choice to run for president in 2016.
Despite his popularity on the national stage, Christie - known for his blunt, sometimes over-the-top style - has sometimes struggled to win over his constituents in liberal New Jersey, where Democrats control both houses of the legislature.
Since Sandy tore through the state on October 29, laying waste to large stretches of the Jersey Shore, Christie's approval rating has jumped 19 percentage points.
Christie appeared to set politics aside, touring the damage with Democratic President Barack Obama days before November 6 Election Day, and showing a personal touch with residents who lost their homes or loved ones in the storm.
Christie has a 67 percent favorability rating among registered voters, up from 48 percent in October, according to the Rutgers-Eagleton poll.
Since taking office three years ago, Christie's signature achievement has been a 2011 law that made sweeping changes to the state's pensions and health benefits for state workers.
(Reporting by Edith Honan; Editing by Jackie Frank)
