Christie won’t leave GOP race, dismisses Trump concerns
- Christie has vowed to stay in the race until the GOP convention
- Some in the GOP want to consolidate support behind one Trump challenger
- Trump still leads the primary race by a wide margin
Former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie speaks during the third Republican presidential primary debate at the Knight Concert Hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida, on November 8, 2023. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
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(NewsNation) — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has said he intends to stay in the GOP primary race through the Republican convention, dismissing possible efforts to consolidate support behind a candidate that can challenge former President Donald Trump.
On CNN, Christie dismissed the idea of dropping out to consolidate support behind former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who has been coming in second to Trump in recent polling data.
Trump still leads the primary pool by a wide margin, leading some Republicans to suggest a need for the party to come together and back one candidate who can mount a serious challenge to him. While Trump has led President Joe Biden in recent polls, there are still concerns about how he will do in the general election, and many voters have said they aren’t enthusiastic about a Trump-Biden rematch.
Christie also dismissed concerns about what might happen if Trump refuses to concede if he loses the primary or makes a run as a third-party candidate.
Christie said on ABC that he didn’t expect Trump to concede if he lost, noting that Trump has not yet conceded the 2020 election. The former governor suggested the public would grow bored and ignore Trump’s complaints.
An advocacy group backed by major Republican donor Charles Koch is reported to be planning to endorse an alternative to Trump ahead of the Iowa Caucus in January.
While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis initially appeared to be Trump’s top challenger, he has fallen in the polls. DeSantis, Haley, Christie and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have emerged as the top candidates in a crowded GOP field.
NewsNation will be hosting the fourth GOP debate on Dec. 6 at 8 p.m., and is accepting questions from viewers here.
