Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie made a significant announcement on Wednesday in New Hampshire, revealing the suspension of his somewhat improbable 2024 presidential campaign, predominantly centered on his opposition to former President Donald Trump.
Expressing his decision, Christie stated, “It’s clear to me tonight that there isn’t a path for me to win the nomination,” elaborating, “which is why I’m suspending my campaign tonight for president of the United States.”
Christie had strategically focused his campaign efforts on consolidating support in New Hampshire, where he managed to secure double digits in polls, positioning himself third in the race. Notably, his key competitors were former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Trump, the leading figure in the Republican race.
In a recent University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll, Christie garnered 12%, trailing behind Haley at 32% and Trump at 39%. However, when combining Christie and Haley’s totals, they reached 44%, surpassing Trump. Pollsters highlighted that Christie voters were likely to shift their support to Haley.
Another USA Today–Boston Globe-Suffolk University poll echoed a similar sentiment, with Christie at 12%, but this time, Trump maintained a considerable 20-point lead over Haley, 46% to 26%, making it challenging for Christie’s supporters to bridge the gap.
Responding to Christie’s decision, Nikki Haley issued a statement praising his campaign efforts, saying, “Chris Christie has been a friend for many years. I commend him on a hard-fought campaign.” She emphasized the voters’ choice between past chaos and a new generation of conservative leadership.
Before Christie officially announced the suspension of his campaign, a live audio feed caught him expressing skepticism about Haley’s chances, stating, “she’s going to get smoked” and suggesting she’s “not up to this.”
While Haley’s campaign did not address the hot mic comment, Christie had consistently criticized his primary opponents for not being sufficiently critical of Trump. He often claimed, “I am the only candidate running against Donald Trump. Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis seem to be running against each other for second place.”
Pressure mounted on Christie to withdraw from the race following Haley’s endorsement from popular Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire. With Haley gaining momentum and building a coalition in the primary state, Sununu, who had initially considered endorsing Christie, urged him to drop out. Sununu emphasized the need for a consolidated field to defeat Trump and suggested that Christie’s voters would likely rally behind Haley.
Despite facing mounting pressure, Christie resisted calls to end his campaign, expressing skepticism about Haley’s intentions and emphasizing his commitment to opposing Trump. However, as events unfolded, Christie ultimately decided to suspend his campaign, marking a notable development in the evolving landscape of the 2024 Republican presidential race.
