Former New Jersey Gov. Christ Christie, 60, said Republicans are treating former President Donald Trump as “Voldemort,” the mythical evil sorcerer in the Harry Potter novels. Christie ran against Trump in 2016, forced to drop pout because of his own baggage from the 2013 Bridgegate incident, when he closed down lanes on the George Washington Bridge to punish Fort Lee New Jersey Mayor Mark Sokolicih for refusing to back Christie for governor. Christie managed to escape consequences, despite several of his closest associates convicted of obstructing traffic, causing chaos in Fort Lee New Jersey. Apart from all that Christie once backed Trump enough to manage his transition team for president in 2016, before he stabbed Trump in the back for receiving no appointment in Trump’s 2016 Cabinet. Christie still has his own vendetta with Trump now that he announced for president Nov. 15.
Christie for different reasons opposes Trump 2024 run for president, much different tham 53-year-old former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) who said publicly that he leads the never-Trump campaign. Ryan’s argument against Trump involves his belief that Trump can no longer win national office, like he did beating 75-uear-old former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2016. Ryan’s argument is a simple one that Trump is not the right person to run for national office, carrying far too much baggage to win the White House, even if 80-year-old President Joe Biden decides to run again. Many Democrat express openly reservations to back Biden in another White House bid, largely because of his low approval ratings, closely tied to his poor performance on the economy and in foreign policy. But whatever the objections, Biden is still the incumbent and can do what he wants.
Ryan, who served as House Speaker while Republicans controlled the chamber
from 2015 –2019, was a GOP moderate, someone who could cut deals with Democrats, not part of the current partisan gridlock. Ryan’s views on Trump relate to the fact that he carries so much controversy from his two impeachment trials, Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots, and Mar-a-Lago classified documents scandal. Ryan takes no position on whether Trump will get indicted from Mar-a-Lago or Jan. 6 but just thinks Trump is no longer electable. Christie’s criticism of Trump stems from his vendetta that he was passed over for a Cabinet appointment, largely because he was embroiled at the time the Bridgegate scandal. Christie thinks other GOP candidates are reluctant to jump into the fray because they’re intimidated by Trump with his Voldemort metaphor. Christie knows the 2024 contest is entirely open.
Democrats and the press would like to push the narrative that the GOP is in chaos over Trump’s Nov. 15 decision to run again. But unlike 2016, when Trump was a first-time presidential candidate, much is known about him today with Democrats, independents and crossover Democrats. Ryan thinks that Trump cannot command enough votes from independents because of his track record, but, more importantly, his high profile legal problems highlighted daily in the U.S. press. Whether Trump gets indicted or not, he still is in the middle or more controversy, now that Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland appointed Nov. 18 career prosecutor Jack Smith as Special Counsel. Ryan sees more trouble ahead for Republicans if they’re foolish enough to pick Trump as the 2024 GOP nominee. Christie’s Voldemort metaphor speaks volumes about his future plans to run for president.
Christie, a Republican moderate, hopes to reinvent himself when he considers another presidential run in 2024. Christie’s 2016 campaign got little traction, largely because of his baggage from the Bridgegate scandal. “They say, ‘Leaders who do this or that.’ But they won’t say the name. I think that fails the leadership test,” criticizing GOP leaders afraid to call Trump out. Clearly, Christie has his own reservation for running against Trump, knowing how things turned out in 2016. Christie wants potential candidates like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to start sparing with Trump, not avoiding confrontation. DeSantis has refrained to mix it up with Trump, knowing it’s a losing proposition. As Ryan points out, Trump just doesn’t have the vote-getting appeal across the political spectrum, holding onto a 25% base, not enough to get him over the finish line in 2024.
Christie hoped the Jan. 6 House Select Committee or Mar-a-Lago would lead to charges filed against Trump, paving the way for an open field of GOP candidates. Democrats and the press have been obsessed with stopping Trump from running in 2024. Now that he’s announced Nov. 15, GOP primary voters will decide who they like in 2024, not who Democrats and the press prefer. Chritie’s fighting his own internal demons about running again for president, largely because of how things turned out in 2016. GOP primary votes know all about Trump but their waiting for a fresh face to emerge to carry the party to victory in 2024. Ryan’s point that Trump can no longer win a national election has considerable validity. When it comes to other candidates selling themselves to GOP primary voters, the field is entirely open, offering Trump no lock on the nomination.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
