AKRON, Iowa (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie returned to Iowa on Saturday to headline one of the biggest events on the state's political calendar and seize the chance to meet with Republican activists and fundraisers who could propel a potential White House bid in 2016. While support for a Christie candidacy among a wide-open field lags in early polling among likely GOP caucus-goers, Christie has forged strong ties with some important Iowa operatives who have made it clear they would jump to help if he decided to run. The visit, about a week before the midterm elections, was Christie's third in recent times to a state where Republican voters are generally seen as more conservative than Christie's natural base.