Charles Stile: “Hardly a week goes by without Chris Christie leaving New Jersey — sometimes more than once — to promote Republican candidates for governor and, by extension, his own hopes to become his party’s choice for president in 2016. But the strategy may be fatally flawed.”

“Governor Christie’s best — and possibly only — route to the White House these days could be his daily commute to his inner office in the State House, not a bunch of flights crisscrossing the country to champion his brand. More governing, less galloping.”

“Essentially, Christie needs to cobble together a new record of achievement. The first-term hero saga that wowed everyone from hard-hat union workers to Henry Kissinger is an old narrative that’s been overtaken by a sinking state economy. This self-proclaimed bipartisan deal maker should stay here and write a convincing sequel, some political operatives believe.”

Vice President Joe Biden appeared at a closed-door fundraiser in South Carolina and delivered what one attendee called “an Elizabeth Warren-type speech” about the struggles of America’s middle class, CNN reports.

“Biden did not mention his own White House ambitions. But several Democrats at the event were struck by one remark he made about Bill Clinton’s presidency: Three sources there told CNN that Biden said the fraying of middle-class economic security did not begin during President George W. Bush’s terms, but earlier, in the ‘later years of the Clinton administration.'”

A Rosetta Stone poll in Georgia finds David Perdue (R) leading the GOP pack for Senate with 23%, followed by Karen Handel (R) at 21%, Jack Kingston (R) at 15%, Paul Broun (R) at 9% and Phil Gingrey (R) at 9%.

The RNC “moved Friday to seize control of the presidential primary debates in 2016, another step in a coordinated effort by the party establishment to reshape the nominating process,” the New York Times reports.

“Committee members overwhelmingly passed a measure that would penalize any presidential candidate who participated in a debate not sanctioned by the national party, by limiting their participation in subsequent committee-sanctioned forums. The move represents the party’s effort to reduce the number of debates and assert control over how they are staged.”

Politico: “Not that long ago, most Republican leaders saw Rand Paul as the head of an important faction who, like his father, ultimately had no shot at becoming the party’s presidential nominee. Now the question is no longer whether Paul can win the nomination, but whether he can win a general election.”

“The shift follows a year in which the Kentucky senator has barnstormed the country, trying to expand the party’s base beyond older, white voters and attract a following beyond than the libertarian devotees of his father, Ron Paul. Although the job is far from complete, Paul has made undeniable progress, judging from interviews with more than 30 Republican National Committee members meeting here this week.”

Brendan Nyhan: “The latest investigation into the Benghazi attack reminds us that the issue isn’t going away any time soon. Pundits are already speculating about potential damage to Hillary Clinton’s presidential prospects, but don’t believe the hype: Scandals rarely matter much in presidential election campaigns.”

“A far more significant threat to her potential candidacy is Americans’ desire for new leadership after eight years of the Obama administration.”

A new Rasmussen poll in North Carolina finds Thom Tillis (R) edging Sen. Kay Hagan (D) in the race for U.S. Senate, 45% to 44%.

Jim Galloway teases an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll out Saturday that finds Democrats in an especially close race for Georgia’s top offices in November.

The poll shows Gov. Nathan Deal (R) just three points ahead of Jason Carter (D) in the race for governor.

In the Senate race, Michelle Nunn (D) “has sizable leads against each of the five top GOP Senate contenders in a potential November matchup, though her lead against businessman David Perdue is particularly narrow.”