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Jerry Brown Challenges Chris Christie to a Race, Push-Up Contest

By Shane Goldmacher // August 31, 2012 | 9:50 p.m.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has a message for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie: Bring it on.

Days after Christie, a Republican, dissed Brown, a Democrat, as an "old retread" during an appearance at the Republican convention in Tampa, Brown responded to by challenging the heavy-set Christie to a three-mile running race, a push-up contest and a chin-up contest.

"Whatever he wants to bet," Brown, 74, taunted Christie, 49. "I have no doubt of the outcome."

Christie had told the California delegation at the GOP convention that the state "made the bad choice by going with an old retread" in electing Brown. "Jerry Brown?" Christie said. "I mean, he won the New Jersey presidential primary over Jimmy Carter when I was 14 years old."

Clearly, Brown was listening.

Speaking to a union audience that later posted the video, Brown bragged that, while he has "not as much hair" as he did three decades ago when he was first governor, he still "ran three miles in 29 minutes two nights ago."

Your move, Governor Christie.