Gov. Christie Says He Feels ‘Successful’ But Not ‘Wealthy’

Gov. Chris Christie has gone on record as saying he doesn't consider himself to be a wealthy man, even though he and his wife have earned about $700,000 annually for the past several years.

Last night on Townsquare Media's Ask the Governor on Christie said "I think everybody has their own feelings about this."

Christie also said he and his wife are now paying about $170,000 a year in tuition for their children.

"Fact is we have significant amounts on the expense side as well and you know, people ask you if you're wealthy, I don't feel wealthy," he said.

The governor acknowledged he and his wife Mary Pat have done well, but suggested not as well as others.

"We've worked very hard to get there," he said. "I think there are a lot of people significantly better off than me and Mary Pat."

The bottom line, Christie said, is no matter what people think or say, he doesn't feel wealthy.

"We do a lot for our kids, like we want to do and we've sent them to great schools, and paid that and obviously paid the other enormous expenses," he said. "I just paid my property tax bill over the weekend. They asked me how do I feel, and I feel like I'm a guy who's working hard every day and trying to pay my bills and making sure I'm taking care of my kids, and I don't feel wealthy."

Christie added he doesn't look at his financial situation as being a political liability.

"I certainly know we've been very successful," he said. "I'm very proud of Mary Pat, of what she's been able to accomplish in her life, and what financially that's made available to me and my children and what I've done over the course of our lives, and I'm happy I've been able to contribute as well. We both came from pretty modest means and have been able to be really successful and been able to, I think, do a lot of good, not only for ourselves and our children but also for other folks as well."