NY Post: Christie's 'Bizarre Behavior' Raises Questions on 2016 Prospects

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's loyalty to the Republican Party is being questioned after he refused to make a public endorsement of a possible GOP challenger to New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a move some say could hurt his chances of winning the 2016 GOP presidential nomination.

Cuomo has disputed an earlier Post report that Christie was prepared to back Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino should he get the Republican nomination for governor next year, saying Christie made a personal phone call to him to assure him otherwise, according to The New York Post.

"Christie already has a problem with many Republicans refusing to forgive him because of his embrace of [President] Obama and his socially liberal policies," a GOP operative told the Post.

"But this bizarre behavior in suggesting he won't help a Republican defeat a Democratic governor, and a Cuomo no less, could finish off his chance of becoming his party's nominee for president in 2016."

Christie, who is the newly elected chairman of the Republican Governors Association, was criticized by many Republicans after he embraced President Barack Obama last November during a tour of areas that were damaged during Superstorm Sandy. At the time, they said Christie had undermined GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney's chances on the eve of the election.

Christie's spokesman and political consultant have refused to comment on the reports, according to the Post, and after the initial report suggesting Christie would back Astorino, Cuomo told the paper, "I spoke to Gov. Christie this morning, who told me the exact opposite."