'Existential crisis': How Chris Christie’s refusal to drop out of GOP race 'comes at a cost'

22 November 2023

Former New Jersey governor and 2024 GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie still has his eyes on beating the former president and MAGA hopeful Donald Trump, but he has a choice to make.

The Daily Beast's Jake Lahut reports, "Christie insists he can win the whole thing, starting by going all-in on New Hampshire" — an early-voting state — "But looking at Trump's massive polling lead, Christie's own high unfavorable numbers among Republicans, and a confident Haley campaign picking up momentum to consolidate the anti-Trump vote, observers believe Christie has tough questions to answer."

When the Beast politics reporter asked the GOP hopeful his reason for persisting in the race, he offered a two word response: "Donald Trump."

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He wants to be the one to ensure the former president doesn't see another four years in the White House.

University of New Hampshire political science professor Dante Scala told the Beast, if the former governor's ultimate goal is to "stop Trump," then "the question for Christie is, where do you go from here? Because that's come at a cost."

One top GOP lawmaker in New Hampshire who originally considered backing Christie before switching to Haley, told the news outlet, "The problem with Christie is he's very much a known quantity here in New Hampshire."

He said the former South Carolina governor "offers more upside, and the advantage of introducing herself to voters."

Lahut notes, "As Nikki Haley gradually establishes herself as the primary field's most viable challenger to Trump, Christie is being forced to grapple with two competing and increasingly contradictory desires," and "with time running out to stop Trump," the ex-New Jersey governor must determine how he'll conquer such "an existential crisis."

The Daily Beast's full report is here (subscription required).

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