AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s Republican Gov. Paul LePage headed to Iowa on Monday to campaign for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is seeking the Republican Party’s nomination to be its presidential candidate in 2016.
LePage set out for the Midwest on the day of the Iowa caucuses, the first litmus test for presidential hopefuls.
Christie, who is trailing in the polls in Iowa, offered his support to the Maine governor during LePage’s 2014 successful re-election campaign.
LePage, in turn, has endorsed Christie’s presidential bid and recently campaigned for Christie in New Hampshire.
Peter Steele, LePage’s communications director, confirmed LePage was headed to Iowa to campaign for Christie but referred all other questions to LePage’s top political consultant, Brent Littlefield.
Littlefield said he wasn’t involved in the Christie campaign, but could confirm LePage was going to be in Iowa on Monday. Littlefield later confirmed that LePage would be speaking on Christie’s behalf at three caucus precincts in Des Moines.
In 2014, Christie visited Maine five times to campaign for LePage.
Steele said LePage was set to return to Maine on Tuesday but may face a weather delay in the Midwest because of a developing blizzard.