Former Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he will make a decision on launching a 2024 presidential bid in the next 60 days.
Christie hinted at his consideration to run during a radio interview with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade on March 26. He told Kilmeade he is considering three factors: seeing a “pathway to winning,” believing he has something “to offer” the country and receiving the support of his family.
“I’m definitely thinking about running, probably make a decision in the next 60 days on what to do or not to do,” Christie said. “You know me, when I make a decision I’ll let everybody know.”
Christie unsuccessfully ran for president in 2016 before dropping out and endorsing former president and then-candidate Donald Trump. After serving as an adviser on Trump’s 2020 campaign, he has since been a vocal critic of the former president. (RELATED: Chris Christie Says There’s A Deeper Reason Why Trump Fired Mike Flynn)
Christie is set to host a town hall event at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics on Monday night.
“Someone who is seriously considering running for president should go out there and talk to people and see what reaction you get,” he continued.
The former New Jersey governor has blamed Trump for the events that took place at the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot; for Republican losses in recent election cycles and for a decrease in Republican governors.
“[Trump] told us during that campaign in ’16 that we were going to do so much winning that we would be sick of winning,” Christie told the Washington Examiner. “Yet in 2018, we lost the House; in 2020, we lost the White House and we lost the Senate; and in 2022, we lost more governorships, another seat in the Senate, and historically underperformed in the House. So, I’m tired of losing, and I’m tired of being disappointed. And I think most Republicans are, too. And that argument needs to be made and made directly to the people of our party. And then we’re going to see how they react.”
A New Jersey Spotlight News survey published Feb. 20 found Christie received 0% support from potential Republican voters in a hypothetical 2024 race. Trump earned 42% of the overall vote and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is widely expected to declare a bid, came in second with 36% support. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Vice President Mike Pence all stood in the single digits, according to the poll.
