Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is seriously considering a presidential run in 2024, told Axios that he will never vote for Donald Trump again, even if he wins the Republican nomination.
Christie was one of the first prominent Republicans to endorse Trump after the reality TV star emerged as the front-runner in the presidential election in 2016.(Photo: Fox 29)
Christie’s dependence on the strength of a Trump-hating primary opponent.
Why it matters: No other potential Republican candidate has made such an explicit pledge, highlighting Christie’s reliance on the viability of an anti-Trump lane in the primary.
The big picture: Christie was one of the first top Republicans to back Trump after the reality TV star emerged as the front-runner in the presidential race in 2016, and he even assisted the former president in preparing to debate Joe Biden during the 2020 campaign.
If Christie enters the race, he is willing to serve as an anti-Trump prosecutor at a time when Trump’s other Republican opponents have been reluctant to go after him directly.
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Christie hinted at his tactics.
Christie teased his strategy in a speech Monday at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire, saying Republicans need someone to take down Trump on the debate stage in the same way he viciously took down Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in 2016.What they’re saying: Christie told Axios, “I’m going to go out there and tell the truth. Like the truth matters. The truth is not negotiable.”
When asked if he would back Trump as the Republican nominee in 2024, Christie said, “I can’t help him. No way.”
Christie continued, “Look, I just can’t.” “I just don’t think that person is appropriate for the presidency when you have the Jan. 6 choir at a rally and show video of it.”
Christie also stated that he would not vote for Biden. “I can’t imagine voting for Joe Biden, and I’m not sure I can vote for either of these guys. They’re both too old, and they’re both out of touch with what’s going on in the world right now.”
“Look, what I thought in 2016 was that [Trump] was going to be the nominee, and I don’t want Hillary Clinton to be president,” Christie said of his previous support for Trump, which lasted until the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
“Did I have reservations about him? Of course, but you probably have reservations about any candidate other than yourself.”
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