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Updated August 18, 2015.

In the swirl of the 2012 presidential election, whether Chris Christie’s hug and photo op with Obama during the hurricane Sandy recovery hurt Mitt Romney was hotly debated. The issue of climate change was in the mix, with some arguing that global warming was responsible for super storm Sandy.

Two years later, the New Jersey governor appeared on Fox News’ The Kelly File, and when host Megyn Kelly asked if he thought he had hurt Romney during the election, he said “No,” remarking that he was not gushing, nor even smiling during hurricane Sandy.


According to “The Hill,” Governor Christie has gone on the record stating that he believes global warming is real, and he believes human activity contributes to it, but that the degree to which humans contribute to climate change is still subject to debate.

Fast forward to 2015, and there is no question that the New Jersey governor is going green, but climate change and the environment have little to do with this particular shade of lime green...
Media are again reporting on a "burgeoning bromance," but this time, the friend of Christie is not Obama, but rather Larry Hogan, the governor of Maryland.

Lime Green ‘Hogan Strong’ Bracelet

It was actually a New Hampshire Voter that first brought the lime green wristband to the public’s attention, according to the Washington Post. The voter saw the bracelet on the wrist of presidential candidate Chris Christie during a town hall meeting, and asked him what it was for. Christie said it was an outward sign to show solidarity with Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a fellow Republican, who was recently diagnosed with an aggressive stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or stage 3 NHL.

Lime green is the color of lymphoma advocacy and awareness products -- symbols of strength for lymphoma survivors, patients and their family and friends.

Governor Hogan’s Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a blood cancer that affects the lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell. The two main kinds of lymphoma are NHL and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and NHL is the more common of the two. Some types of lymphoma -- including NHL and some of its subtypes -- have been on the rise, and this trend is predicted to continue. An American's lifetime risk of getting NHL is currently estimated to be about 1 in 50. Most cases of NHL -- about 90 percent -- are of B-cell origin, like the malignancy affecting Hogan.

Maryland's governor made his announcement on June 22, 2015, drawing on inner strength -- and a healthy sense of humor. He joked about the odds for success, saying, “The best news is that my odds of getting through, and beating this, are much, much better than the odds I had of beating Anthony Brown to become the 62nd Governor of Maryland.” This was a reference to his surprising victory in 2014 – a stunning upset by all accounts. Self-described as an underdog who likes a challenge, Larry Hogan somehow managed to become the state’s second GOP governor since 1969.

Going Green for Hogan

Christie had given his enthusiastic support last year for Hogan, who was the underdog campaigning against then-Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown. Just recently, Hogan returned the favor, endorsing Christie his support in his bid for the GOP nomination for president. According to the Post, Hogan described he and Christie as a kindred spirits – both blue state republicans and both straight talkers.

On Facebook, Hogan has a shot of Christie and wife Mary Pat Foster wearing the bracelets. And it’s not just fellow governors like Christie who are going green for Hogan, according to the Baltimore Sun. Hogan's daughter and wife appear in photos, passing out the wristbands to Orioles manager Buck Showalter and several players, including Orioles center fielder Adam Jones.

Governor Hogan is receiving treatment at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, for his B-cell NHL.

In response to a lot of well wishers and a concerned public, the political organization Change Maryland is launching a website, hoganstrong.com to sell the wristbands, T-shirts and bumper stickers. All of the net proceeds from the items will go toward charities fighting cancer, including Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Sources

Chris Christie Defends Obama Hug After Hurricane Sandy

Climate Change and Sandy

Chris Christie: ‘Global warming is real’

Adam Jones, Chris Christie sport green '#HoganStrong' wristbands