Former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, who is counting on strong conservative support in his effort to win the GOP nomination for governor, took a swipe at former and potentially future presidential candidate Mitt Romney for endorsing his opponent, Chris Christie.

"Mitt Romney was rejected by Republican Primary voters because he was a moderate trying to pass himself off as a conservative just in time to win an election. Chris Christie has done the exact same thing in this race, so it follows that Romney would back him," he says in a statement.

"This is a case of one fraudulent moderate trying to help another one. Republican voters will see through Chris Christie the same way they did Mitt Romney last February."

Polls have consistently shown Christie ahead in the primary, but that Lonegan has a stronger base of support among more conservative voters. These voters, the campaign argues, are more likely to show up at the polls next Tuesday, and overcome Christie's support among the party establishment.