He does have a certain je ne sais quoi that many find attractive. His 1981 marriage to the daughter of the vice chairman of Bethlehem Steel was announced in the NYT.

Florio’s lobbying firm, Princeton Public Affairs, is probably at some degree of separation to most of the municipalities in Somerset County. But the public just doesn’t get to know. (I have a feeling it’s due to the bipartisan nature of the outfit.)

He’s a made man, and has been a fixture in NJ Republican politics for thirty years. From his bio here, emphasis added:

Dale J. Florio, an attorney and founder of the Princeton Public Affairs Group, is a public affairs professional with experience at the federal, state and local levels. He is also President of Winning Strategies Communications, Inc. which oversees the marketing of Winning Strategies Advertising, Winning Strategies Public Relations and Princeton Public Affairs Group. Legislative strategy development, direct lobbying and coalition development are Mr. Florio’s specialties. Immediately prior to co-founding the Princeton Public Affairs Group, Mr. Florio managed the $10 million Philip Morris state and local government affairs program throughout all 50 states. He was responsible for development and implementation of the company’s lobbying strategy, grassroots effort and political contributions program. Before joining Philip Morris, he served as federal public affairs representative with the National Association of Manufacturers and as an administrative assistant to a member of the New Jersey General Assembly. In 1979, Mr. Florio was elected as a member of the Borough Council in Somerville, New Jersey. He chaired the Finance Committee of the Council, while serving on that committee for nearly three years. In June, 1992 Mr. Florio was elected Chairman of the Somerset County Republican Organization. In the Spring of 1992, he was nominated by State Assembly Speaker Chuck Hayatian and appointed by Governor Florio to the New Jersey Building Authority. Mr. Florio served as a key advisor to Christie Todd Whitman during her successful primary and general election victories in 1993 and 1997 and was subsequently named to the Governor’s Transition Team. Mr. Florio serves on the Boards of Commerce Bank/Central, Opinion Research Corporation, Innovative Educational Programs, Inc., and the Adult Day Center of Somerset County. He was also a member of the Task Force on the Affordability and Accessibility of Health Care in New Jersey. A graduate of Allegheny College [1977] and Seton Hall Law School, Mr. Florio is admitted to the practice of law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

http://hoofin.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/chris-christie-as-the-latest-empty-suit-even-if-its-x-tra-large/

He used to get a hard time from both the Republicans and the Democrats, and wasn’t expected to be re-elected.

I was at a symposium for the 50th anniversary of the 1947 New Jersey state
constitution and Governor Byrne was one of the panelists. He told the story about how he was asked whether he would have preferred a unicameral legislature instead of a bicameral one. His answer was “How about No-cameral ?!”

I suspect the gross hypocrisy – rampant extra-marital sex, illegal drug abuse, family violence and paedophilia – arises out of the drives of the dominator, a character often as much predator as dominator. He doesn’t respect himself and is, therefore, incapable of respecting those who follow him. The queer thing about the authoritarian “ecosystem” is that what was once so illicit that it spelt political death is now a badge of honor. Foley may be out, but Vitter is in, like Flynn.

Non-authoritarian followers of the Edwards in public life require extended contrition and a demonstrable change of heart to win them back, if that’s even possible.

Of course, men and women travel together all the time for professional reasons. It is Mr. Christie’s mob boss-like behavior and Ms. Brown’s followership and dedicated servicing of his needs that fuels suspicion. Their peccadillos, if any, would become public owing to their public positions.

If Christie and Brown were an item, it could be more than politically embarrassing. It could violate their professional responsibility to disclose or recuse themselves from significant legal matters, some of national importance. Because of the inherently hierarchical, missionary-position nature of their superior/inferior jobs, any relationship might well violate sexual harassment laws or workplace rules generally or DoJ policies in particular. It would also be relevant information for the voters of New Jersey before they decide to make Mr. Christie their chief executive.

EW’s original title to this comment is fine, as are the questions raised by the known facts. The editorial revisions for the front page, I think, are ahead of known facts.

Speculation about political opponents may be fun, as long it’s conditional, the alleged hypocrisy reasonably follows what’s known, and conflicts with the opponent’s public pronouncements and professional responsibility. I would amend the front-page title with something less Enquirer-esque than “paramour”. It’s both too blatant and too subtle for Hester Prynne.