Gov. Chris Christie may end up in the White House after all.

Donald Trump, who is expected to secure the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election, has announced that if elected, he will call upon the New Jersey governor to lead his transition team.

“Gov. Christie is an extremely knowledgeable and loyal person with the tools and resources to put together an unparalleled transition team, one that will be prepared to take over the White House when we win in November. I am grateful to Gov. Christie for his contributions to this movement," Trump said in a statement released Monday.

FORT WORTH, TX - FEBRUARY 26: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announces his support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a rally at the Fort Worth Convention Center on February 26, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. Trump is campaigning in Texas, days ahead of the Super Tuesday primary. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Chris Christie and Donald Trump during a rally at the Fort Worth Convention Center on February 26, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
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Christie publicly endorsed Trump almost immediately after his own bid for a spot on the GOP presidential ballot ended in February. Since then, Christie has been criticized by New Jerseyans for focusing on Trump and not the problems and issues of the Garden State.

When his appearances at the business mogul's campaign events became less frequent, it prompted questions about why he wasn't out campaigning.

“It’s somewhat like the Legislature," the governor previously said. "You know, when I’m here, the Legislature says. ‘What the hell is he doing?’ And when I’m not here, they say ‘Why the hell isn’t he here?’"

The governor has said he suspects he'll be spending more time campaigning for Trump as the June primary gets closer.

“I’ll be helping him a lot here in the month of May as he gets ready for the June primary in New Jersey, which for the first time in my lifetime is going to actually mean something,” Christie said last month.

As transition team chairman, Christie would oversee a "team of professionals preparing to take over the White House, and all that entails, in the fall," according to Trump's campaign website.

“I am honored by the confidence being placed in me by Mr. Trump and look forward to putting together a first rate team to assemble an administration to help best serve the President-elect and the nation," Christie said in an announcement from the Trump campaign.

With Trump gearing up to clinch the GOP presidential nomination, there had been some speculation that he could consider Christie as his running mate, but a new poll showed many Garden State Republicans think that would be a bad move for the businessman.

The latest Monmouth University poll showed that 70 percent of GOP voters who will head to the polls for the June 7 primary in New Jersey say they plan to cast their ballots for Trump.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.

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