Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, 61, continues his fake campaign, going on liberal TV talk shows to bash Trump at every opportunity. Christie polls nationally at 2.5% and has no chance of winning any primaries. He’s paid by the never-Trump Republicans and Democrats to keep Trump from winning the GOP nomination. Christie, once a fervent Trump supporter and head of Trump’s transition in 2016, wanted Trump to appoint him Attorney General. While the job went to former Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Al.), Christie never forgave Trump, carrying a grudge into the 2024 campaign. Christie gets more press as a GOP candidate, even though his campaign got no traction. Christie has the gift-of-gab, not spend all his campaign ripping Trump, offering no separation between himself and President Joe Biden. Christie calls Russian President Vladimir Punt a murderous thug.
Christie likes to call Trump a “loser,” blaming Trump for all the GOP loses over the last several years, including the loss of the House in 2018 and the Senate in 2020. “I think the public en masse will begin to ignore a four-time loser like Donald Trump,” Christie told ABC’s “This Week” host Martha Raddatz. Christie’s snarkiness is what turns off voters, focusing only on Trump. But his attacks have backfired, actually with Trump gaining more momentum over the last several months. Calling Trump a coward, challenging Trump to attend the GOP debates to allow Christie his wish to challenge Trump on a national stage. Trump smartly rebuffed Christie, staying clear of GOP debates, largely because his lead in the polls keeps growing, just following his normal routine delivering rallies. Christie has the welcome mat on liberal talks TV talk shows, even after Christie drops out.
Christie repeats all the Democrat talking points, saying Trump would never concede any loss in the 2024 race. “Look, no one will expect him to concede. He hasn’t conceded the 2020 election, who cares?” Christie said. “I don’t suspect he’ll ever concede,” said Christie. Christie won’t concede that he runs a fake campaign, refusing to drop out with his dismal polls. What possible reason other than ripping Trump does Christie stay in the campaign. Agreeing with Democrats, Christie thinks Trump would destroy U.S. democracy, becoming an angry dictator should he get back to the White House. Christie, of course, says anything negative about Trump to get on Democrat TV talks shows. Christie blames Trump for just about everything wrong with the Republican Party. Trump has nothing to do with what happens to down the ticket Republicans, incapable winning on their own races.
Christie tries to present himself as a spokesperson for the mainstream GOP. Romney admitted today that his opposition of to Trump only represents a tiny fraction of the GOP. Liberal TV talk shows think Christie speaks for the Republican Party. “I think he’ll go back to Mar-a-Lago. He’ll continue to carp and moans and complain and say we don’t deserve him. Anything that gets him out of this race and what keep him out of the White House is fine by me,” Christie said, exposing his vendetta against Trump. GOP voters, not Christie or Romney, are in control of what happens to Trump. Judging the polls, Republican voters look to hand Trump wins in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. Christie and liberal TV talk shows don’t vote in GOP
primaries. Instead of hurting Trump, Christie’s approach has backfired, galvanizing Trump’s base heading into 2024.
Christie likes his time in front of the cameras, something that could crash soon when he’s blown out of the GOP race.
If voters thought Christie was a viable option, he wouldn’t be at 2.5% nationally, not well-liked by GOP voters. It wasn’t that long ago in 2016 that Christie was under possible indictment for the New Jersey Bridgegate scandal. Christie managed to toss his closet employees under the bus and escape indictment. But at the time, Trump couldn’t offer him the attorney general job, let alone any other Cabinet job. Yet Christie holds the grudge, flip-flopping from close Trump backer to his 2024 nemesis. “He lost the 2018 in the House, he lost in 2020 in the Senate and in the White House. And in 2022 he led us to more loses in the governorships and the Senate, and if he loses in 2024 he will be a four time loser,” Christie said, highlighting Trump’s failures.
GOP officials should reign in Christie since his attacks on Trump have backfired, driving more voters to back the former president. Christie can’t stomach the fact that Trump’s the only remaining GOP candidates with any real shot at the nomination. There are no dark horses waiting in the wings to jump into the 2020 race. Virginia Gov. Glen Youngkin was once considered a dark house candidate, until he lost the Virginia legislature elections. Whether admitted to or not by Christie, the party is stuck with Trump, largely because he’s the only candidate with a real following. Recent polls show that Trump wins battleground state votes head-to-head with Biden. Christie, Romney and other anti-Trump Republicans must a accept the fact that Trump is the only GOP candidate with a following, but, more importantly, with the savvy to finally beat Biden.
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.
