Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie on Sunday sought to minimize the potential penalties if rival Donald Trump loses the 2024 major race however refuses to concede — and even retains working as a third-party candidate.
“Nobody will anticipate him to concede. He hasn’t conceded the 2020 election. Who cares,” Christie, a former governor of New Jersey and a Trump supporter-turned-critic, advised ABC “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
Whereas Trump maintains an enormous lead in nationwide polling of Republican major voters, he’s in a barely weaker front-runner place in line with surveys in Iowa and New Hampshire, the primary two states to vote, the place Christie and different challengers are hoping for an upset.
Pressed by Karl on how Trump’s continued presence within the race may very well be an ongoing drawback if he loses — like if he contests the outcomes or runs third-party — Christie dismissed that notion, arguing that at that time, “the general public en masse will start to disregard” the previous president due to his repeated defeats on the poll field.
“I believe he’ll return to Mar-a-Lago. He’ll proceed to carp and moan and complain and say we do not deserve him,” Christie mentioned. “Something that will get him out of this race and retains him out of the White Home is okay by me.”
Christe’s response comes as ABC Information has realized Individuals for Prosperity Motion — an advocacy group backed by Republican billionaire Charles Koch and his allies — has plans to endorse an alternate candidate to Trump with the Jan. 15 Iowa caucus now simply 50 days away.
With an estimated $70 million readily available to pour into the hassle to defeat the previous president, Individuals for Prosperity additionally has analysis that means “as many as 75% of Republicans simply is perhaps open to a Trump different in the event that they assume that that individual can win,” ABC Information Political Director Rick Klein advised Karl on Sunday.
Trump has up to now commanded the Republican area, however Klein mentioned his comparatively weaker early state polling may give different candidates hope that “as soon as folks begin to have interaction,” there’s an opportunity of consuming into his lead.
Christie echoed these sentiments on Sunday, telling Karl that he believes he would be the candidate “who surprises all people” in New Hampshire, the place he has spent important time campaigning.
PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate and former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie speaks on the Hudson Institute, on Nov. 15, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Photos)
“I believe individuals are simply beginning to have interaction, even in a spot like New Hampshire. You understand, I actually see folks now lastly beginning to dig in, determine who they assume is saying the issues that they wish to hear and telling the reality to the voters of New Hampshire,” he mentioned.
Christie has pitched himself because the loudest Trump detractor within the GOP major area. Trump has fired again at Christie, labeling him a “failed” candidate and governor
Christie mentioned on “This Week” that he expects to increase his marketing campaign to South Carolina and Michigan, two of the following voting states within the major, the place he believes he may do “fairly nicely” at the same time as polling reveals he has but to breakthrough in both place.
“Proper now, with 58 days to go till the New Hampshire major, we’re going to focus most of our time and vitality on the state of New Hampshire,” he mentioned.
However with different contenders nonetheless within the race, together with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Karl requested if this surroundings is “precisely how Trump wins,” by splitting the vote amongst his opposition.
Christie mentioned that as an alternative of attacking one another, the remaining candidates ought to all be focusing their hearth on Trump.
“If all three of us would go after Donald Trump, nicely then probably the most credible amongst the three of us when it comes to these critiques would wind up successful this major, I consider,” Christie mentioned.
“I believe we have to give attention to who’s in entrance right here, who’s dangerous for our celebration, and who can be dangerous for this nation,” he continued. “And for my part, that is Donald Trump and we have to go immediately at him.”
Chris Christie performs down danger to Republicans if Trump loses major however will not go away the race initially appeared on abcnews.go.com