Zuckerberg to hold Christie fundraiser

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PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 25 (UPI) -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a possible Republican presidential nominee in 2016, is getting a financial boost from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg announced Thursday he and his wife will host a fundraiser for the governor in February in their home in Palo Alto, Calif., The New York Times reported.

An aide to Christie said the governor and Zuckerberg became friends after meeting in 2010. The same year, Zuckerberg announced a $100 million contribution to the schools in Newark, New Jersey's largest city, making the announcement with Christie and the city's Democratic Mayor Cory Booker at his side.

A spokeswoman for Zuckerberg said he admires Christie's accomplishments in education in New Jersey, including changing the rules on teacher tenure and convincing Newark teachers to accept performance bonuses.

Christie is expected to run for a second term this year. Booker was talked about as a potential Democratic candidate but has decided to run for the Senate in 2014 instead.

The governor's popularity in New Jersey rose after Superstorm Sandy battered the state. But his appearance with President Obama in the wake of the storm and just before the presidential election angered many Republicans.