Governor Chris Christie (R., N.J.) responded to hecklers with more charm than thunder during a question-and-answer session at the Iowa Ag Summit.

“I’m glad to see New Jersey has come to Iowa,” Christie said, before suggesting he’d handle the protesters here just like he does in his home state. Instead of confrontation, though, Christie turned to comedy. “My people follow me everywhere,” he joked. “It’s fabulous . . . I’m magnetic.”

The protesters were focused on the Hurricane Sandy recovery. When it came to Iowa issues, Christie hit all the right notes with the early-morning crowd, particularly when criticizing the Environmental Protection Agency. To emphasize his opposition to the recent onerous rules, Christie noted that he had rolled back New Jersey policies crafted by Lisa Jackson before she joined President Obama’s administration as EPA administrator.

Christie also managed to thread the needle between the Iowa farmers who support the ethanol mandate and the conservatives who oppose government mandates. Instead of addressing the underlying principle of whether the government should mandate the use of renewable fuels in transportation fuels, he faulted President Obama for failing to follow the law.

“The law requires the president to establish [a Renewable Fuels Standard] and he should,” Christie said. “Let’s make sure that we comply with the law, that should be the minimum.”