Gov. Chris Christie had another crisp, forceful debate Tuesday night toward his effort to secure a second term in New Jersey.

But there was one line he delivered that could come back to haunt him in 2016.

It was the governor’s response to whether he believes climate change had anything to do with the force and destruction displayed by Hurricane Sandy.  And it’s these words that are likely to be flashed in a television ad or thrown at him during a debate during the GOP presidential primary two and a half years from now.

“I think climate change is real and I think human activity plays a role.”

As I live-tweeted the New Jersey debate, the only other tweet that attracted as much attention as that quote was Christie’s explanation on what he would do if his child was gay:

“I’d grab them, hug them and tell them that I love them . . . But dad believes marriage is between one man and one woman.”

That answer would actually play nicely into the Republican Party’s less hostile messaging on the marriage question, which is essentially: Let’s respectfully disagree.

But the climate change explanation is just the type that will exercise the right.

Twitter is a highly imperfect, but not irrelevant way to measure the pulse of the body politic.

But the reaction was swift . . .

Ammo for #Cruz'16 or #Paul'16RT @davecatanese: Christie: "I think climate change is real and I think human activity plays a role." #NJGOV

— Jules (@JulesPSpencer) October 16, 2013

@davecatanese @JimPethokoukis One reason why Christie will not win a national GOP nomination.

— Peter Korman (@pjkorman) October 16, 2013

Rick perry is stoked "@davecatanese: Christie: "I think climate change is real and I think human activity plays a role." #NJGOV #2016clip?"

— willie (@midwestaholic) October 16, 2013

Follow Dave’s blog at TheRun2016.com