Chris Matthews on Christie Win: ‘Reagan Democrats Are Alive’ and ‘They Like Reality’

On Morning Joe Wednesday morning, NBC News political reporter Kasie Hunt and Hardball host Chris Matthews discussed the fallout for Democrats from Chris Christie’s commanding win in yesterday’s New Jersey gubernatorial election, with Hunt warning that the Democrats missed an opportunity to damage Christie before he begins a 2016 presidential run, and Matthews arguing that his election portended the resurgence of Reagan Democrats.

“I wonder whether Democrats are going to really start to regret how much of a pass they gave Christie in this election,” Hunt said. “You didn’t really see the party apparatus crank up for Barbara Buono…They could have dredged up some of what we’re seeing come out, the Romney vet of Chris Christie, all of these problems in his past, but they let all that go.”

“The Reagan Democrats are alive,” Matthews said. “They’re working class, middle class, mostly Catholics—I’m just saying, it’s a fact—ethnic people, people who came two or three generations ago. They tend to

be very, very patriotic. And they like reality. They don’t like Al Gores. They don’t like people like [Michael] Dukakis. They want real people with blood in them. People that talk with attitude.”

“Chris, those aren’t the people are electing nationally, though,” former RNC Chairman Michael Steele. “That’s not who they are electing for president of the United States, and Chris Christie is the exception when you look at who they’re electing for governor.”

Watch the full clip below, via MSNBC:

[Image via screengrab]

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