He's engaging in fantasy here, that's for sure.
The party-before-country types still hate him for his welcome and praise of Obama after the big storm that hit Jersey, and moderates want nothing to do with voting for an imperious, vindictive bully who can use the misery of voters as a tool when he feels like it.
In a couple months names like Romney and Christie won't even be in the news. Many on the right are under the impression their political woes have been produced by them not being far enough to the right, and guys like Christie can't really make much headway against that IMO.