Chris Christie, a former governor of New Jersey, said this week that he will decide on whether to run for the Republican presidential nomination in the next “45 to 60 days.”
Christie noted that he’s actively contemplating launching his presidential campaign, adding that he believes former President Donald Trump’s political magic is fading.
“You have a number of people both in the race and considering the race against what is, in essence, an incumbent president. I think that tells you, just by definition, that he’s weaker than he was in the lead-up to 2020,” Christie said.
“With Donald Trump at the top of the ticket, you can be sure of the fact that we'll have another four years of Joe Biden, and that to me is not acceptable for this country,” he added.
Christie, who endorsed Trump in the 2016 race for GOP presidential nomination after dropping out of the race himself, also cast doubt on Trump’s run for a second term and predicted the former president would lose, starting an online spat.
“‘Sloppy’ Chris Christie, the failed former Governor of New Jersey, spent almost his entire last year in office campaigning in New Hampshire for the Republican Nomination for President,” Trump wrote. “Much like his term in office, where he left with an Approval Rating of just 9 percent, his Presidential campaign was a complete disaster. He endorsed me the following day, later recommended Chris Wray for the FBI (how did that work out?), went down in flames.”
Hours later, Christie snapped back at Trump on Twitter, saying Trump was “the only man to lose to Biden outside Delaware.”
Republicans Angling to Run
Trump formally announced his presidential candidacy on Nov. 15, 2022, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.Other prominent Republicans who have hinted at a possible White House run, but have not yet formally announced their candidacy, include Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.).
Several Republicans, meanwhile, have declared their support for Trump’s return.
“I’m for Donald Trump because I know what I’m going to get,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said after formally declaring he would back Trump in the 2024 campaign. “We need somebody that on day one can get this country back on track. That can secure our border and bring order out of chaos. Somebody that the Russians and the Chinese fear. Somebody that can take the fight to the terrorists.”