That’s the question asked by the New York Times today:

There’s a fine line between being tough and being a bully. Even some Republicans worry that Mr. Christie is driving too fast against traffic in fighting with teachers, acting on his own to try to rescind Bergen County’s blue laws to raise revenue and refusing to reinstate an income tax surcharge on households earning $400,000 and up. You could argue the goal should be as many good jobs, public and private, as possible, not a shared descent. But it’s hard to argue that government in New Jersey isn’t broken, which is why Mr. Christie will get a shot at fashioning a Republican model for hard times that goes beyond saying no.