NBC News – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told supporters on a conference call Tuesday that he will run for president.
The call, confirmed by campaign officials, comes ahead of a rally at Christie's old high school in Livingston, New Jersey, where the Garden State governor will publicly announce his intentions to run.
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Christie becomes the 14th Republican presidential candidate to officially enter the race and will face a tough, uphill climb to the top of the crowded field.
The Bridgegate scandal that has consumed much of his governorship over the past year and a half has taken a major toll on Christie's standing among fellow Republicans.
An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released last week found that 55 percent of Republican primary voters said they could not see themselves supporting Christie.