With less than two weeks until the first-in-the-nation primary, New Hampshire voters face an unexpected decision following the withdrawal of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie from the race. The news came as a surprise to many of his staunch supporters, who had been encouraged to attend the event where Christie announced the end of his campaign against an American flag backdrop at a local wedding venue.
“I can see it from some of the faces here that I’m disappointing some people by doing this, people who believe in our message and believe in what we’ve been doing,” Christie said. Among the disappointed was Tom Barton, a long-time supporter of the former New Jersey governor, who expressed his sadness at the news.
Barton, who had anticipated Christie might withdraw after the New Hampshire primary depending on the results, was taken aback by the early exit. He is now considering former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as a potential candidate to support on January 23, provided she takes a stronger stance against Trump.
Christie had previously criticized Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for their reluctance to declare Trump unfit for presidency. Despite this, Haley appears to be the most likely to benefit from Christie’s departure, having closed the gap on Trump in New Hampshire to single digits, according to a recent CNN Poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire.
The poll revealed that 65% of Christie’s supporters, accounting for 12% of the total, listed Haley as their second choice. Among them is Chris Pease, a former Christie supporter who believes Haley represents “the best pathway to helping the country move forwards from Trump.”
However, not all of Christie’s supporters are ready to jump ship. New Hampshire state Rep. Wayne MacDonald, Christie’s campaign chairman in the Granite State, declared, “I’m not going with Nikki Haley.” MacDonald, along with Catherine Johnson, a campaign volunteer, cited Haley’s perceived pandering to Trump as a reason for their reluctance to support her.
As the first-in-the-nation primary draws closer, the political landscape in New Hampshire remains uncertain, with many voters still weighing their options in the wake of Christie’s unexpected exit.