By Andrew Schmertz
Correspondent

For the governor it was a day of friendly handshakes and smiles as he strolled down Main Avenue in Ocean Grove. He used the perfect weather to tout the shore’s recovery from Hurricane Sandy.

“My presence in these places is to encourage the business owners and the residents here that tourism continues to get better and better in our state post Sandy. And to remind people about how great it is to spend time down here,” Chris Christie said.

The storm caused more than $3 million in damage in Ocean Grove and destroyed the boardwalk.

Today, a small group of business owners and a generally supportive — albeit small — crowd followed him as he went store to store.

“It’s so great for the town. That’s why I’m smiles from one end to the other,” said one person.

But along with supporters and the media, the governor’s also constantly being followed by the Trump saga. And that was no different today. Christie refused to further  answer questions about the comments Donald Trump made about the judge presiding over the lawsuit against Trump University. Many Republican leaders have called those statements about the judge’s Mexican heritage racist.

“I already addressed it so next,” he said.

But Christie was a little more talkative when asked if he’d take a position in the Trump administration if he wins in November.

“That will always be first of the preference of the president-elect’s as to what he might want. And the depending upon that if I’m approached I’ll consider whatever he offers and decide if it is in my best interest and the best interest of my family,” he said.

The governor of course wanted to keep the media focused on the Jersey Shore’s recovery  — specifically here in Ocean Grove and Asbury Park.

And to that end, he praised the building of the new Asbury Hotel by the investment real estate trust iSTAR, which is planing a $40 million investment in 20 projects along the shore. This is the first hotel to open in Asbury Park in decades.

“What not only private sector investment in a public/private sector partnership can do but more importantly what the imagination and the ingenuity of people who understand what this city is all about and what its potential is for the future can really develop,” Christie said.

The governor certainly hopes there are more fair weather days ahead for the shore as he prepares to weather political storms from his support of Donald Trump.