Guns and Gays in New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey has in the last few days confounded political forces on both sides. Pleasing Democrats and moderate Republicans, he signed a humane law banning the junk-science practice of "gay conversion therapy" on minors. Delighting the Republican right, he vetoed a bill banning .50 caliber rifles. The voluble Mr. Christie had explanations at the ready for both decisions. He said that despite his aversion to government interference with "parental choice on the care and treatment of their own children," he agreed with the American Psychological Association that gay conversion therapy had many risks, including depression, substance abuse and suicide. As for vetoing the rifle ban, Mr. Christie, whose press releases are sometimes as colorful as he is, said that when it comes to gun control "we must be the grown-ups in the room." He added that the bill would ban a firearm "that has reportedly never been used in a crime in New Jersey" and is too big and expensive for the ordinary criminal. He noted also that he had signed 10 gun-related bills this year, that he enforces existing laws and that his gun-control critics are "politically motivated." Our hope is that, at some point, Mr. Christie will sign a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in New Jersey, much as New York and other states have done. But Mr. Christie, who has presidential ambitions, seems anxious to steer a path between reasonable Americans and those in his party who believe that people should have the freedom to buy weapons but gays should not have the freedom to marry. What we have seen in recent days is an especially clear example of his political balancing act, outlawing the destructive practice of trying to turn gays into straights, rejecting a gun ban - but, mostly, testing and searching for a viable middle ground, especially in his party.