Afternoon Fix: Christie not running, his brother says

Chris Christie’s brother says he’s not running, Bev Perdue wants to suspend Congress, Russ Feingold has endorsed Elizabeth Warren, and Ed Koch has endorsed Obama.

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EARLIER ON THE FIX:

Obama aides play expectations game

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Chris Christie has many of the same liabilities as Perry, Romney

Bipartisanship is dead. At least until 2013.

Many black members of Congress targeted in new districts

Sarah Palin, second-tier candidate

WHAT YOU MIGHT THIS MISSED:

* Chris Christie is not running for president, his brother says. “I'm sure that he's not going to run,” Todd Christie told the Newark Star Ledger. "If he's lying to me, I'll be as stunned as I've ever been in my life.” Other people close to the New Jersey governor told the paper they were surprised that former governor Tom Kean had hinted at a Christie bid, saying the talk was false. As Christie himself once said, it seems nothing short of suicide will stop the rumors.

* No matter what happens, Christie’s speech at the Reagan Library in California tonight will be closely watched. Here’s an excerpt: “A lot is being said in this election season about American exceptionalism. Implicit in such statements is that we are different and, yes, better, in the sense that our democracy, our economy and our people have delivered. But for American exceptionalism to truly deliver hope and a sterling example to the rest of the world, it must be demonstrated, not just asserted.” The speech is at 9 pm Eastern Time.

* A comment that’s likely to raise more than a few eyebrows — North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue (D) today suggested suspending congressional elections for two years so that lawmakers can focus on the economic recovery. Perdue is facing a very tough re-election fight, and odd statements like this one won’t help.

* After a brief career as a Republican hero, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch has endorsed President Obama. The Democratic politican endorsed a Republican in the New York 9th district special election earlier this month; he says the GOP win “affected in a positive way the policy of the U.S. on the Mideast” and “I’m now on board the Obama Reelection Express.

WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T MISS:

* Herman Cain is going on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno this Friday. Will he get grilled like Bachmann? We don’t know; but given the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO envelope-pushing way of speaking — just today he declared that blacks are "over this first-African-American president thing” — it’s sure to be an interesting interview.

* Unsurprisingly, former Wisconsin senator Russ Feingold (D) has thrown his weight behind Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren (D) in her fight against Sen. Scott Brown (R). Elizabeth has fought for years to rein in Wall Street and protect the middle class," writes Feingold in the email to backers of Progressives United, his political action committee.

* Former Pennsylvania governor Rick Santorum says he’s been talking to some “key people” in Iowa who support Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) but “see things not going well for her.” He says unnamed people are “also increasingly concerned about Rick Perry.”

* One Florida Republican who is not running for Senate — Rep. Vern Buchanan, despite some encouraging polls. “I can have a greater impact serving people as Florida’s only member of the influential House Ways and Means Committee, which will be deciding major issues such as tax reform, health care, and international trade,” Buchanan said in a statement today.

THE FIX MIX:

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With Rachel Weiner and Aaron Blake