On Wednesday evening, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie brought an end to his challenging 2024 presidential campaign during a town hall meeting in New Hampshire.
He publicly acknowledged that he had not garnered the anticipated support as the Republican candidate who was most critical of former President Donald Trump.
Christie reflected, stating, “It’s clear to me tonight that there isn’t a path for me to win the nomination. It’s the right thing for me to do.”
Since entering the race a year ago, Christie had strategically focused his campaign on thwarting Trump from becoming the Republican Party’s nominee. This approach involved fervently criticizing Trump as an egomaniac and a threat to democracy and national security.
However, such a stance proved to attract only a limited number of supporters in a party where Trump remains popular and is polling significantly ahead of other GOP rivals.
“I would rather lose by telling the truth than lie in order to win,” emphasized Christie, underlining his commitment to transparency over political expediency. His withdrawal from the race is anticipated to strengthen the campaign of former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. Backers of Haley had publicly urged Christie to exit, believing it would substantially benefit her bid, especially as she competes with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for a second-place position behind Trump in Monday’s Iowa caucus.
Christie consistently asserted that he, among all Republican candidates, was willing to candidly tell voters “the truth” about Trump. He criticized rivals like Haley and DeSantis for being too focused on winning over Trump’s supporters, contending that they were ill-equipped to defeat him. “Anyone who is unwilling to say he is unfit to be president of the United States is unfit to be President of the United States,” declared Christie.
Haley, in contrast, adopted a diplomatic stance on the campaign trail, simultaneously arguing against Trump being the GOP nominee while also praising his accomplishments in office. While many of her supporters find this strategy shrewd and appealing, some express frustration that she has not taken a more forceful approach against Trump.
“I would appreciate it if she were more outspoken against Trump,” remarked Haley supporter Zachary Queensland during a December rally in Clear Lake, Iowa. “That’s one thing I admire about, let’s say, Chris Christie. I appreciate his approach to Trump. That’s my one reservation that I have with her.”
Just before the official announcement of his campaign’s conclusion, Christie was inadvertently captured on a hot mic during his campaign’s livestream, discussing his Republican competitors in the presidential race.
“She’s going to get smoked, and you and I both know it,” Christie said in the conversation, presumably referring to Haley. “She’s not up to this.”
Christie’s departure is likely to have a significant impact in New Hampshire, where he had aspired to perform well in the Jan. 23 primary, providing him with the momentum to sustain his campaign. According to 538’s polling average, Christie was polling in third place in New Hampshire at 12%, trailing Trump at 42% and Haley at 30%. Christie had planned to effectively bypass the Iowa Caucus, allocating minimal time and resources to the state.