Chris Christie thought his political career was over 12 years ago when he was bounced from a primary election for a county board.

Christie, practically a born politician who campaigned as a teenager with future Gov. Tom Kean Sr., was president of his class at Livingston High School and of the student body at the University of Delaware.

He was a one-term incumbent on the Morris County Board of Freeholders when he lost the primary. But his political career was revived through an unlikely chain of events.

He became the lawyer for George W. Bush's presidential campaign in New Jersey. And after Bush won, he was nominated _ and confirmed _ as U.S. attorney for the state where he would build a reputation for busting corruption and convict 130 public officials.

By the middle of his tenure, he was seen as the Republican Party's best hope in New Jersey to beat Jon Corzine, the deep-pocketed, if unpopular, governor.

After holding on to win a close election in a heavily Democratic state against Corzine, Christie can look forward to plenty more battles.

In January, the new Republican governor-elect will take charge of a government dominated by Democrats.

It's a different kind of adversary for the 47-year-old Christie, who as federal prosecutor delivered morally certain speeches on the courthouse steps.

Instead of dealing with issues of right and wrong, he's likely to find himself in policy debates with a complicated mix of ideology, politics, pragmatism and unintended consequences.

Christie was elected Tuesday over Corzine and independent Chris Daggett by hammering home one message: He pledged not to raise taxes and to roll back several of them, including some increased by Corzine over the past four years.

He overcame criticism that he was not specific enough about how to accomplish his tax goals and still manage to balance a state budget in a precarious economic climate.

In some areas, though, he was specific. Christie says, for instance, he will not be bound by an agreement struck this year by Corzine not to lay off state workers. And he said he's willing to cut programs that aren't necessary for the state, even if they're popular.