The race is not always to the swift, but it might be to the fat. Just-elected New Jersey governor Chris Christie is being Mentioned as a possible GOP presidential candidate because of his riveting battle with the state's public employees, especially its entrenched teacher union. But NumbersUSA has just issued one of its invaluable Report Cards, grading Christie an F on immigration because of his support for amnesty and loud lack of interest in enforcement. Numbers' Roy Beck bluntly describes Christie as "a wash-out", which is strong talk for the herbivorous Beck.

Careful readers of VDARE.com will not be surprised. Nearly four years ago, James Fulford reported a very nasty spat between then-U.S. Attorney Christie and the Mayor of Morristown, Don Cresitello, who, although a liberal Democrat, was urging that something be done about illegal immigrants in his town. Nearly a year later, we reported Newark Star-Ledger columnist Paul Mulshine's evisceration of Christie for his continuing attacks on the Mayor. Christie was not merely on the wrong side, but emotionally committed to it, in a horribly Bush-like way.

Mulshine is clearly skeptical of Christie's credentials. He wrote recently

If our boy went to the Beltway with the intention of stirring up support for a presidential run, he sure succeeded. My assessment: Mitt Romney had better watch his back.

ALSO: Conservative New Jersey is still asking why Christie won't join the suit against Obamacare. If he ever does run, this sort of thing will have to be addressed

(If Chris Christie's trying to get some buzz going inside the Beltway..., Feb 18, 2011. Link in original).

You can go a long way in politics just by having the right enemies, as I noted about Sarah Palin the other day. But Christie is clearly vulnerable on immigration—if any of his possible rivals have the courage to act.