I'm not surprised at all. The entire field of Republican hopefuls this year is betting that the public will accept the idea that everything they have ever done in the past should be forgotten. Passing Obama-style health care in your home state, multiple affairs and abandoned spouses, racist statements, ignorant claims, profiteering from the economic crisis, tax dodging, draft dodging, epic-level hypocrisy, reversing yourself on nearly ever core issue, none of it matters.
You know what every Republican is doing behind closed doors right now? Making "Chris Christie 2016" posters.