Republican presidential candidate and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie brushed off poll numbers for the 2024 election Sunday on CBS, stating that they are not “nearly as reliable” as they “used to be.”
Christie appeared on “Face The Nation” discussing his presidential campaign for 2024, and the plans he has. Host Margaret Brennan questioned the former New Jersey governor on why his negative views on fellow candidates aren’t reflected in the polls, noting Donald Trump’s strong lead even with criminal charges.
Christie responded by stating that “until people vote” no one knows “exactly what’s going to happen,” highlighting poll predictions from previous elections that turned out to be wrong. (RELATED: Two GOP Presidential Candidates Dropped From Maine Primary Ballot)
“Well look, first off, I don’t think you know exactly what’s going to happen at all until people vote. Look, if we listen to all the polling, Margaret, Hillary Clinton would be in her second term. So I don’t believe that polling is nearly as reliable as it used to be,” Christie stated. “And I don’t believe that people tell the truth to pollsters. And so at the end of the day, everybody’s trying to make these decisions now are just wrong.”
“Let’s remember something – in the Republican primary in 07’, do you know who was winning at this time in 07’? Mitt Romney. Do you know who was winning at this time in 11’? Newt Gingrich. And winning this time in 15’ was Ben Carson. I don’t remember any of those presidencies, Margaret,” Christie continued.
Christie noted how the “worry” for Americans doesn’t appear in the polls, then shifted the topic to the direction of the country, highlighting that it’s something that “most people don’t agree with.” Christie also questioned why voters would elect former President Donald Trump or President Joe Biden, claiming they “put” Americans in the position they are currently in. (RELATED: ‘There Is No Consensus’: Chris Christie Reveals Why He Wouldn’t Sign Heartbeat Bill If President)
“So you know my view – we can’t worry about that kind of stuff. What we need to worry about is the direction this country is going in, and most people don’t agree with it. And if you don’t agree with the direction of the country, why would you vote for either Trump or Biden who have put us in this direction?”
The former New Jersey governor has notably been dropping in national polls for the Republican presidential nomination, sitting at an estimated 2.9% according to FiveThirtyEight data. In comparison, Trump currently leads as the Republican nominee by roughly 58 points to Christie, FiveThirtyEight reported.
However, Christie has seen more support from voters in key early voting states like Iowa, where he’s at 4%, and New Hampshire, where he currently sits at 11.6%, FiveThirtyEight reported.