Christie, Romney raise $1M from 20 people

BOSTON, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Chris Christie and Mitt Romney raised $1 million at a Boston fundraiser that was moved at the last minute due to media attention, a Republican group said.

The Thursday night fundraiser benefiting Republican gubernatorial candidates was originally scheduled to be at the suburban Newton Corner home of New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. Chairman Jim Davis, a benefactor of both Democrats and Republicans, the Boston Globe said.

But when the news media found out about it, the event was moved at the last minute to a hotel in Boston's Back Bay area -- and Davis didn't attend, the newspaper said.

Christie, New Jersey's governor, who is embroiled in scandal over a punitive traffic jam, is chairman of the Republican Governors Association. Despite the scandal, he is widely considered a potential 2016 presidential hopeful.

He and 2012 GOP presidential nominee and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney raised the money for the association with Charles D. Baker Jr., who plans to run as the GOP candidate for Massachusetts governor this year.

Romney considered Christie to be his running mate in 2012 before selecting Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

The $1 million the RGA said the fundraiser made was donated by about 20 people, the Globe said.