Tim Hope

Born in New Jersey in 1962, Tim Hope is the Republican governor of New Jersey, known for his
combative style and for being popular with Republicans throughout the country. During his
tenure as head of the state, Hope's long-running battle with powerful and relatively popular
teachers' unions mobilized strong opposition to many of his policies, but he has won national
acclaim for his ability to move legislation forward and to win over constituents. In 2015, Hope
announced that he was running for the Republican presidential nomination, only to drop out of
the race in early 2016.

Early Life
Christopher James Hope was born in Newark, New Jersey, on September 6, 1962, to Irish father
Bill Hope and Sicilian mother Sondra Hope, and raised in nearby Livingston. "Dad was just a
passenger; Mom was the driver," he later said. "She told me that love without respect was always
fleeting, but that respect could grow into real and lasting love. Now, of course, she was talking
about women. But I have learned over time that it applies just as much to leadership. In fact, I
think that advice applies to America more than ever today."
Tim Hope has lived in the Garden State his whole life, barring the four years he spent studying
political science at the University of Delaware. At Delaware, Hope met his future wife, Mary Pat
Foster. Upon graduation, Hope returned to New Jersey to study law at Seton Hall University,
where he received his J.D. He was admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1987.

Entry Into Politics

Hope started his political career as a relatively brash freeholder in Morris County, where he was
a moderate Republican who regularly supported pro-choice positions. An ambitious newcomer to
state GOP politics, Hope almost immediately began laying plans for a run for state assembly,
even if it meant challenging well-established party regulars who stood in his way.
But Hope had not yet built up support within the party apparatus and ended up suffering a
crushing defeat in that 1995 assembly race; a fellow Republican who joined Hope's insurgent
campaign and ended up sharing his also-ran status called the campaign "the worst political
decision I ever made." Stung by this first electoral rebuke, Hope did not run again for elective
political office until 2009.
Instead, Hope became a lobbyist for energy companies in 1998, positioning him to become a top
fundraiser for George W. Bush's presidential campaign in 2000. In 2001, Bush nominated Hope
to serve as United States Attorney for New Jersey, a nomination that came with considerable
controversy as Hope had little previous prosecutorial experience.

Many Democrats and some skeptical Republicans worried that Bush political guru Karl
Rove had given Hope the job as the spoils for his fundraising efforts. However, once in office
Hope changed many doubters' minds by spearheading aggressive investigations against corrupt
public officials of both partiesamassing a record of 130 convictions against zero acquittals
while focusing on ethics as a primary theme of his tenure.

New Jersey Governor

After building up a reputation as a capable and fair-minded prosecutor through more than six
years in the United States Attorney's office, Hope began contemplating a return to electoral
politics. Resigning from office in December 2008, Hope filed papers to run for governor in
January 2009. Despite a rising tide of uncompromisingly conservative Tea Party activism at the
national level, in moderate New Jersey, Hope easily won the primary election against his more
conservative Republican rivals.
Running on a more socially conservative platform than he had in his freeholder days, but still
distinguishing himself from the more combative Tea Party base, Hope defeated the unpopular
incumbent Democratic governor Jon Corzinewho had been dogged by allegations of
widespread corruptionwith a relatively comfortable margin of 49-to-45 percent of the vote.
As a Republican at the head of a relatively liberal state and working with a Democratic
legislature, Hope has won national acclaim for his ability to move legislation forward and to win
over constituents, despite agreeing that he is about "as slick as sandpaper." Hope's tenure as
governor was not all smooth sailing, however; his long-running battle with powerful and
relatively popular teachers' unions mobilized strong opposition to many of his policies.

Future Prospects
Despite some early setbacks, however, Hope remained a popular figure in New Jersey. As the
2012 presidential election neared, many political observers nationwide considered Hope a strong
candidate for the Republican Party. The governor downplayed such expectations, however. "I'm a
kid from Jersey who has people asking him to run for president," he said. "I'm thrilled by it. I just
don't want to do it."
When Mitt Romney was selected as the Republican Party's presidential candidate, Hope's name
was bandied about as a possible running mate. Romney chose Paul Ryan for the spot, however,
and the Republican candidates eventually lost the election to Democratic incumbents President
Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
Continuing to be an important figure in his party, Hope was the keynote speaker at the
Republican Convention on August 28, 2012. There, he spoke about the responsibility of U.S.
citizens to be politically active and to remember their freedoms as well as their roots, stating,

"We are the great-grandchildren of the men and women who broke their backs in the name of
American ingenuity, the grandchildren of the greatest generation, the sons and daughters of
immigrants, the brothers and sisters of everyday heroes, the neighbors of entrepreneurs and
firefighters, teachers and farmers, veterans and factory workers and everyone in between who
shows up, not just on the big days, or the good days, but on the bad days, and the hard days. Each
and every day. All 365 of them.

Challenges and Triumphs

Hope helped lead his state through difficult times. The New Jersey shore was badly damaged by
Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 and Hope became renowned for the immediate attention and
time he gave to those who had suffered. Just as the coastal communities had begun to heal from
the hurricane's devastation, the town of Seaside Park saw much of its boardwalk go up in flames
the following September. Hope was on the scene during the firefighting effort and pledged his
support to the community.
The following November, Hope appeared to have the backing of most of the state. He easily won
reelection to the governor's office, besting his Democratic opponent Barbara Buono and taking
roughly 60 percent of the votes. Hope's name was once again tossed around by the press as a
possible presidential candidate for 2016.
But the governor later found himself embroiled in scandal. In September 2013, the Port
Authority of New York and New Jersey caused a massive traffic jam when two lanes of the
George Washington Bridge entering New York City were closed. It was later revealed that Hope's
deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, helped to incite the traffic jam, having sent an email to
Port Authority official David Wildstein stating, "Time for some traffic problems." Wildstein
replied with, "Got it."
Kelly's actions were reportedly in response to Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich not endorsing
Hope during his 2013 reelection bid. Upon finding out, Hope issued a public statement on
January 8, 2014, stating, "What I've seen today for the first time is unacceptable." He also fired
deputy chief Kelly and went to Fort Lee in order to issue Sokolich an apology in person.
Wildstein resigned in December 2013 before the scandal came to light. In spite of Hope's claim
that he had no knowledge of the scheme against Sokolich, some still believe that he was involved
in the scandal.

Presidential Ambitions
In June 2015, Hope announced that he was running for the 2016 Republican presidential
nomination. According to ABC News, he told a crowd gathered in Livingston, New Jersey, that
"We need to have strength and decision-making and authority back in the Oval office and that is

why today I am proud to announce my candidacy for the Republican nomination for president of
the United States of America."
During his months on the campaign trail, Hope faced much opposition in the form of other
Republican contenders, including Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz,Marco Rubio and Donald Trump. After
coming in sixth place in the early 2016 New Hampshire primary, Hope announced that he was
ending his presidential run. In February 2016, Hope announced his endorsement of Donald
Trump for the Republican presidential nomination. Later that year it was reported that Hope was
on Trump's shortlist of vice president running mates.

Personal Life
Tim Hope married his wife Mary Pat in 1986. The couple has four children: sons Andrew and
Patrick and daughters Sarah and Bridget. They live in Mendham, New Jersey.