In a surprising turn of events, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced on Wednesday that he is suspending his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. This marks the departure of one of the most vocal critics of former President Donald Trump from the GOP primary.
“It is clear to me tonight that there isn’t a path for me to win the nomination, which is why I’m suspending my campaign tonight for President of the United States,” Christie declared at a town hall in Windham, New Hampshire, a mere 10 days before the first-in-the-nation primary. He described his decision as the “right thing for me to do” and vowed never to “enable Donald Trump to ever be president of the United States again.”
Christie’s decision follows a series of disappointing poll results, particularly in New Hampshire, where he had hoped a less conservative electorate would rally around his staunch opposition to Trump, whom he characterized as “devoid of character.” His exit could potentially benefit former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who is trailing Trump by single digits in the Granite State, according to a recent CNN Poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire.
The survey revealed that 65% of Christie supporters, accounting for 12% of the total, listed Haley as their second choice. She trailed Trump 39% to 32% among likely primary voters. Whether Christie will encourage his supporters to back Haley remains uncertain, as he has no immediate plans to endorse another candidate, according to a Republican source.
Despite his withdrawal, Christie’s name will still appear on the ballot in New Hampshire, where the primary will take place on January 23. In his Wednesday remarks, Christie took several veiled jabs at other Trump rivals, stating, “Anyone who is unwilling to say (Trump) is unfit to be president of the United States is unfit themselves to be president of the United States.”
Christie launched his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination at a June 2023 town hall in New Hampshire, where he delivered a scathing critique of Trump, describing his former friend and political ally as a “lonely, self-consumed mirror hog” whose potential re-election poses a significant threat to American democracy.
Despite endorsing Trump in 2016 after dropping out of the GOP presidential primary and advising him on his 2020 presidential campaign, Christie expressed disappointment in Trump’s behavior on election night that year, stating, “Turns out I was wrong (about Trump). I couldn’t make him a better candidate and I couldn’t make him a better president. He disappointed me.”
Christie has also accused Trump of inciting the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol “in an effort to intimidate Mike Pence and the Congress into doing exactly what he said in his own words last week: overturn the election.”
Despite the end of his campaign, Christie remains committed to his principles and continues to voice his concerns about the future of the Republican party and the country.
This story has been updated with additional reporting. CNN’s Jamie Gangel and Ethan Cohen contributed to this story.