Gov. Christie Walks the Seaside Heights Boards

As a crowd swelled on the Seaside Heights boardwalk Thursday afternoon, one curious passerby wondered aloud if MTV's "Jersey Shore" was filming.

It turns out the gathering was for Gov. Chris Christie, who stopped by one of Ocean County's most popular vacation spots to promote New Jersey tourism after a similar visit in Manasquan today and .

Though the governor did not make any remarks or take questions from the press, he shook hands and took pictures with anyone who asked. 

Freeholder Director Joseph Vicari was at the boardwalk to greet the governor. He said that tourism is important to the state's economy since it brings in $3.4 billion each year and gives jobs to about 70,000 New Jerseyans.

"Gov. Chris Christie has been supportive of the tourism industry and small businesses," he said. "A majority of all the businesses here are small businesses, and the governor's administration has been not only pro-business, but also trying to help the small businesses and attract people to the Jersey Shore."

Christie walked the boards with his staff and two sons, Patrick and Andrew. At one point, the governor entered four tickets — one for each of his children, he said — to win a Ford Mustang at the Seaside Heights Italian-American Club booth. He then bought ice cream for his son Patrick at the Kohrs Original stand.

"He's coming to show support of small businesses and to get people to spend their money," Vicari said, adding that of every $1 spent on tourism in New Jersey, 70 cents stays in the state.

"It's really the industry that drives our economy right now," he said. "Our main concern is to increase the job opportunities that we have for the residents of Ocean County."

Freeholder Deputy Director Gerry Little said that he was "delighted" to have Christie visit Ocean County.

"Tourism is the backbone of our economy in Ocean County, and we're very happy that we have the governor here in Seaside Heights and visitors from all over the East Coast and literally all over the country and the world."

Little said that the governor has proposed $100 million to help clean coastal waters, something that he said that the freeholders are "very proud of."

As for the boozy depiction of Seaside Heights on MTV, Vicari said that viewers need to understand that the show is "not reality.

"It's entertainment," he said. "It's bringing people here to spend money. It's good, and it's bad. I just hope they see it in a positive light in Seasides Heights being family-oriented and not just people going out to bars all the time."

After walking a few blocks on the boardwalk one man shouted at Christie. "We need you in the White House," he said.

The governor replied, "Who'd want to leave Jersey?"