So much for House Republican’s touted guest at today’s conference meeting: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie didn’t make it.

The popular Garden State Republican was across town at a fundraiser for presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney. He couldn’t make the trip to the Capitol Hill Club in time before the House Republicans adjourned their meeting, a National Republican Congressional Committee aide said.

Christie was supposed to aid House Republican leadership’s call to its caucus to pay dues to the NRCC’s Battleground program.

Christie addressed House Republicans twice before. He spoke to the caucus in September 2010 and during its retreat at the start of this session of Congress.