(CNN) — Exactly how disgusted is Chris Christie with the total lack of compromise in Washington?
“If I was in the Senate right now, I’d kill myself,” the Republican governor of New Jersey told the Philadelphia Inquirer’s editorial board. The response came when Christie was asked what he would do if he was a member of the upper chamber during the current crisis.
“This is why I’ve never had any interest in being in a legislative body,” the Philadelphia Inquirer quotes Christie as saying.
Christie, considered a likely 2016 contender for the Republican presidential nomination, is currently sailing ahead in the polls in his reelection fight with Democratic state Sen. Barbara Buono.
In the shutdown fight, Christie has strayed far from the Republican talking points on the brinksmanship between President Barack Obama and Congressional Republicans.
While no fan of Obamacare, Christie said late last month he also wasn’t a fan of the Republican tactics that helped lead to the shutdown.
“I think quite frankly, to be fair, I don’t think you hear responsible Republican leaders advocating a shutdown of the government,” Christie told CBS News.
Christie has been equally critical of Obama, calling on the President to show more leadership than Christie has seen.
“My approach would be, as the executive, is to call in the leaders of the Congress, the legislature, whatever you’re dealing with, and say we’re not leaving this room until we fix this problem, because I’m the boss. I’m in charge,” Christie said of the negotiations at an event for the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation.
“No matter where the partisanship is, the failure is in people not bringing people together to get it done,” added Christie.
–CNN’s Bryan Koenig contributed to this report.