Former President Jimmy Carter heaped effusive praise on New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie over the weekend, dubbing him “very effective” and noting that he’s been complimentary of Democrats.

“I was filled with admiration for what [Christie] did, not only helping within New Jersey but also his influence in making sure that the Congress didn’t continue to deprive the people whose homes were destroyed of repair assistance.”

“I think he’s been a very effective governor in taking care of New Jersey’s great deficit, whether he inherited it, and also taking care of the people who were injured during the hurricane.”

The Holmdel-Hazlet Patch captured video of the remarks by Carter at a Habitat for Humanity event.

“And I’ve noticed he’s said some good things about Democrats and I have no hesitation mentioning some good things about him,” Carter continued.

While that statement is indicative of why Christie is cruising towards reelection in New Jersey this year, it’s also just the type of praise from a top Democratic leader that some conservatives will point to as evidence that Christie isn’t one of them.