One week ago, New Jersey Governor announced that he wouldn't join the scrum for the 2012 GOP presidential race. At that time, he added that he wouldn't be endorsing any of the candidates. "It's too early for that," he said during his hour-long press conference.

What a difference a week makes.

No, Christie hasn't reconsidered his decision to run. But Tuesday, the governor announced that he was endorsing former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for the top spot.

Christie, in New Hampshire for tonight's latest round of the debates for the GOP hopefuls, tosses his support to Romney, the wealthy businessman who has been atop the most recent NBC News-Marist polls of Iowa and New Hampshire voters, where the first caucuses are about three months away.

Over the weekend, Texas Governor Rick Perry had to deflect attention from the comments made by Texas evangelical leader Robert Jeffress, the Baptist megachurch pastor who introduced Rick Perry at the Values Voter Summit. Jeffress said that Romney, a Mormon, "isn't a Christian" and called the Church of Latter-Day Saints a "cult." Christie is a devout Roman-Catholic.

"My attitude about this is the same as religious matters have nothing to do with the ability to lead," Christie said after announcing his support for Romney."Just as the same people who were critical of me for appointing a Muslim just, I believe people should be selected not because of their religion, but based on who they are. And any campaign who associations itself with that kind of rhetoric is beneath the office of President of the United States."

In a case of foreshadowing over the weekend, the pair were satirized in a "Saturday Night Live" skit. In real life, however, Christie, said he will do whatever he can to help Romney's campaign.