In Christie Household, Mary Pat Makes the Big Bucks

She pulls home $307K as bond trader
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 29, 2013 2:06 PM CDT
In Christie Household, Mary Pat Makes the Big Bucks
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and wife Mary Pat arrive at the White House in 2011.   (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

It's not like Chris Christie's $175,000 salary as governor of New Jersey qualifies as pauper pay, but wife Mary Pat is the family's real money-maker. She pulled in $307,000 in 2011 as a Wall Street bond trader, reports Bloomberg Businessweek. “I’ve always been the breadwinner,” she says in the profile, which shows how she has "quietly redefined" the role of first lady. "I really just wanted him to be happy in his career, and he is.”

The governor, in fact, laughs off the notion that he might be insecure about making less than his wife. “I just have three words for you," he says. "Joint checking account. That money all lands in the same place, baby.” USA Today points out that the Christies illustrate a national trend: Wives now out-earn their husbands in 28% of households, up from 16% in 1988. (More Chris Christie stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X