But he urges them to speak "calmly and clearly and forthrightly" about their beliefs, saying "this is an issue whose time has come."
At a rally on the Statehouse steps Monday, the Republican governor said hearing the heartbeat of his unborn daughter 15 years ago convinced him to step off the sidelines on the issue.
Abortion opponents gathered around the country Monday to mark Saturday's 38th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.
Christie's remarks come as Democrats continue to criticize him for cutting money for family planning from the state budget.
