It’s the same as it ever was.

Another Republican declared his candidacy for president and the clamor for Gov. Chris Christie to get into the race continued.

And the governor said he’s not running. “My answer is not going to change,” Christie said Monday.

After Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s announcement Saturday didn’t bring an end to the calls, political observers say Republican dreams of Christie getting in the race might not be quashed until it’s too late to add his name to the ballot.

The first ballot deadline: November. “There is still time, if he were to shock us and say, ‘I’m running,’” said Rutgers political science professor David Redlawsk.

New York Times conservative columnist Ross Douthat Monday penned a piece arguing it was time for Christie to jump into the race. And GOP strategist Karl Rove told Fox News he is “starting to pick up some sort of vibrations that these kind of conversations are causing Christie and (Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Paul) Ryan to tell the people who are calling them, you know what, I owe it to you, I’ll take a look at it.”

Rove, who declined to comment today, is one of many Republicans who have expressed lukewarm feelings about the current field.

“There is not one candidate that I’m absolutely sold on, but I think there are a number of them that could be good candidates come next summer,” said Mark Hillman, a national GOP committeeman from Colorado. “(Republicans) want the second coming of Ronald Reagan, but I’m not sure that Republicans would recognize the first coming of Ronald Reagan.”

Some say the continued adoration for Christie is driven by his standing within the party.

“Gov. Christie is a force within the GOP and very popular with Republicans across the country for his governance success in New Jersey,” said Bruce Ash, a Republican national committeeman from Arizona.

Others believe he isn’t going to run. “We love him a lot,” said Shawn Steel, the former state GOP chairman of California who is on Perry’s finance committee. “But I think most people have accepted the reality that he’s not in the game.”

(Source: NJ Star Ledger)