In a sharp rebuke of fellow GOP contenders, 2024 candidate Chris Christie criticized Nikki Haley and Gov. Ron DeSantis for not directly challenging former President Donald Trump, who maintains a strong lead in the primary race.
Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, took aim at his opponents during an interview on Wednesday with MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports." Without mincing words, he declared, "I am the only candidate running against Donald Trump. Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis seem to be running against each other for second place. Good for them," according to The Hill.
"But, you know, when Nikki Haley stands on the stage on Wednesday night and says Donald Trump was the right president for the right time; when Ron DeSantis continues to defend Donald Trump, you cannot beat someone unless you run against them," Christie asserted.
Emphasizing his distinctive approach, Christie declared: "And the only path to the Republican nomination for president is not around Donald Trump or next to Donald Trump. It is through Donald Trump.
"The fact is, I'm the only person who's willing to do that. I'm the only person with the guts and the experience to be able to do it. And you and I both know why Donald Trump's not on that debate stage. It's because I am."
Christie's campaign aggressively challenges Trump's potential return, emphasizing perceived risks. Other candidates take a more cautious approach, aiming to win the nomination without alienating Trump supporters.
According to Tuesday's Morning Consult Pro Poll, Trump leads DeSantis by 50 percentage points (64% to 14%) after a record-level surge in Republican primary support. Nikki Haley holds third place, leading Ramaswamy by 3 points (9% to 6%). A full 2 in 5 voters heard nothing about DeSantis, and even more knew little about other candidates. Only 45% of expected GOP voters watched the latest debate, a slight decline from previous matchups. In the 2024 General Election Tracker, Biden trails Trump by 1 point.
With less than 10 weeks before Iowa's first statewide nominating contest, candidates will have another chance to convince voters on Dec. 6 in Alabama during the fourth debate.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.