Manchester, New Hampshire (CNN)New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dominates almost any room he enters but is suddenly facing questions about his relevance in the 2016 presidential race. The surprisingly fast-moving Republican presidential contest, kicked off by Jeb Bush shortly after the New Year and accelerated by the unexpected re-emergence of Mitt Romney, is putting pressure on Christie, who was once the Republican establishment's favorite. The big-check GOP contributors that were once assumed to be Christie's for the taking — in particular the Wall Street financiers just across the Hudson River from New Jersey — are now being courted aggressively by Bush and Romney as they ramp up their campaigns.
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Chris Christie was once the Republican establishment's favorite heading into 2016
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But he could face challenges if Romney and Bush enter the race
Mitt Romney
Romney
Romney
@placeholder, meanwhile, built an impressive financial network during his 2012 campaign, and many of those donors are waiting to see what he does before committing to another candidate.
Chris Christie
Christie
Christie
Chris Christie
His fading star opened the door last year for Bush to start making calls to potential supporters who might have previously been with with @placeholder.
Chris Christie
Christie
Christie
Chris Christie
Though both of Christie's potential rivals in the establishment lane have big networks and deep experience in national politics, both of them are older than than the 52-year old @placeholder.
Jeb Bush
Bush
Bush
Romney is 67 and @placeholder is 61, and both could be tagged as stale emblems of the past.
Jeb Bush
Bush
Bush
The contrast could be stark against the buttoned-up, bespectacled @placeholder and the notoriously awkward Romney.
Mitt Romney
Romney
Romney
With Romney, you're never sure if you're getting the real @placeholder or the Romney he thinks you want."
Mitt Romney
Romney
Romney
With Romney, you're never sure if you're getting the real Mitt Romney or the @placeholder he thinks you want."