Just hours before the Republican presidential debate Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie endorsed presidential candidate Mitt Romney, according to NPR.

While fellow Republicans urged Christie to enter the race, Christie refused and instead gave his support and his loyal fiscal followers to Romney, a move that hurts the already ailing candidate Gov. Rick Perry and “certainly will be a blow to the Texan,” reports NPR.

While Christie’s endorsement further urges Romney into the spotlight, at the Republican debate last night Romney “looked far more presidential than anyone else onstage,” reported CBS News.

 Romney “hit back hard” to questions from presidential opponents Perry and former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain, according to CBS News.

As Romney moves forward in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, so does Cain, whose numbers have been rising in recent polls, according to International Business Times.

But while Romney and Cain appear to be moving forward, as for Rick Perry, IBT said, now “It’s just Rick — without the flair.”

Students can get a first-hand look at Romney when he comes to Minneapolis Nov. 21, according to the Strib. Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has backed Romney as well, will be putting on a fundraiser for the former Massachusetts governor.