Chris Christie Stumps in Iowa for Romney

With barely a month until the Iowa caucuses, Mitt Romney is beginning to get serious about a state that he once appeared to be shunning.

While the Republican presidential candidate himself was fundraising in Texas on Friday, where he hobnobbed with "good friend," former President George H. W. Bush, one of his most high-profile and outspoken endorsers, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, held a tele-townhall with Iowans. Christie is planning a campaign trip to Des Moines next Wednesday with his wife, Mary Pat Christie.

The Romney campaign said there were "thousands" of people on the line today to hear Christie, declare that "I will never compromise my principles and I don't believe Gov. Romney will either."

The brash Garden State governor added that "Gov. Romney and I are different guys - my approach tends to be very direct and very blunt - but I'm from New Jersey." But Christie said "I don't think there will be any mistaking Gov. Romney's message and purpose when he gets to the White House."

One caller asked Christie why he chose to support Romney over Rick Perry, whom he knows from their shared time as Republican governors. "I have great respect for Gov. Perry," Christie responded. "I just believe that Gov Romney is head and shoulders above him in handling the difficult complex issues that will have to be handled by the next president of the United States." The nation needs a president who can address economic and foreign policy challenges in an "adult, intelligent, meaningful way," Christie said, adding: "While I have great respect for Rick, I don't think this one's a close call."

Yesterday in Iowa, Josh Romney, who has campaigned on behalf of his father in the state, made the first official visit of a Romney to the campaign's new headquarters in Des Moines. The younger Romney spoke about the time his father spent with his five children over Thanksgiving. "Those kids, and the future generations of America, is why he's running for president."

Romney this week has been relying on surrogates to campaign in Iowa, but he's about to become a television presence in Iowans' livingrooms. On Friday, his campaign will begin airing a 30-second ad touting his business experience in Iowa. A similar commercial is going up in New Hampshire this weekend. The Iowa version features photos of Romney in the Hawkeye State, including his most recent trip, when he received the endorsement of Sen. John Thune of neighboring South Dakota.

"Mitt Romney has always said that he would campaign and compete in Iowa," says Romney spokesperson Andrea Saul. "He looks forward to participating in the two upcoming Iowa debates."