Christie exits GOP race in Iowa with harsh words for Trump Politics

Chris Christie ended his presidential bid on Wednesday with a powerful plea that echoed his long-running bid for the Republican nomination: a blunt, sobering warning that if front-runner Donald Trump were to be defeated by White What will happen to America if he is sent back to the House?

“I’d rather lose by telling the truth than lie to win,” Christie told attendees at a town hall in Windham, New Hampshire. In most of his lengthy comments he talked not about himself but about the man, whom Christie said only thought about himself. And not the American people.

“Imagine for a moment, if 9/11 had happened with Donald Trump behind the (Oval Office) desk. The first thing he would have done was run to the bunkers to save himself. He would have put himself first, this country first. “

Criticizing GOP presidential candidates and other Republicans who support Trump, Christie said sharply, “Anyone who is unwilling to say that he is unfit to be president of the United States is the United States itself.” Statesman is ineligible to be President of the United States.”

Christie said he remained in the race despite the challenges, because he felt it was important that someone point out the “character” problems of the four-time convicted former president.

But “Tonight it became clear to me that there is no way for me to win the nomination, which is why I am suspending my campaign for President of the United States tonight,” Christie told the audience.

Christie had pinned his hopes on New Hampshire, representing a party that had overwhelmingly supported the former president. Christie has called Trump ruthless, “disgusting”, “unfit for office” for refusing to debate, and “going crazy” as the high-stakes campaign heats up.

Christie, who served on Trump’s 2020 transition team and later became a fierce critic, refused to back down from his verbal attacks on Trump during his campaign — even at conservative events and GOP debates. The audience booed and heckled Christie for going in front of the runner.

Christie failed to meet polling and other thresholds to reach the debate stage in Iowa on Wednesday night, where former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis – neither of whom offered token criticism of Trump. Hasn’t lobbied much – will be the only candidate on the debate stage. Christie’s absence means Trump, who is far ahead in national and state polls, will not be subject to Christie’s sustained campaign against him.

Christie took some responsibility for his past support for Trump, saying that after it became clear in 2016 that Trump would be the GOP nominee, he thought he could help make the novice politician “a better candidate” and “a better president.” Can.

But that ambition, Christie said, got in the way of his decision, and “I promised myself, and I promised my wife, that I would never do that again,” he said.

And he had harsh words for established GOPers who support Trump, naming Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming and Representative Tom Emmer of Minnesota, and calling those who complain about Trump “behind closed doors.” But will not do so in public.

Christie said, “For everyone, this is not leadership. This is cowardice. This is cowardice and this is hypocrisy.”

Christie is getting about 3% support in polling in Iowa, where his caucuses are held on Monday — not a surprise for a candidate who made the strategic decision to skip Iowa and focus on New Hampshire, where He could benefit from popular voters for himself. Independence and unwillingness to crown the front runner in any party.

Some Republicans were urging Christie to drop out of the race so that another contender, particularly Haley, could consolidate support and become a viable threat to Trump.

The most recent polling of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire from CNN and the University of New Hampshire shows that if Christie were able to give all of her support to Haley – for example, assuming no one goes to Trump or DeSantis. Gone – Haley holds lead over Trump, 42% to 39%.

The poll reinforces the Haley campaign’s hopes – that if Christie drops out of the race, her supporters may turn to Haley and boost her in crucial New Hampshire. If Christie’s support overall goes to Haley, the poll found she could defeat Trump 48% to 46%.

But it’s not clear whether Christie will support Haley or any of her primary rivals. In a conversation captured on tape before Christie’s announcement, he said Haley was “a smoker” and that DeSantis was “scared” of something that was not clear from the audio.

And Christie, bidding farewell to a state he hoped would boost his campaign, bid farewell to his former debate-stage opponents – including North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former Vice President Mike Pence. Called out other GOP candidates by name. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.

“If Donald Trump becomes the nominee of this party, it was that moment when Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis and Tim Scott and Mike Pence and Doug Burgum and Vivek Ramaswamy stood on that stage in Milwaukee in August. And when they were asked Would they support making someone president of the United States who was a convicted felon, Christie said, “They raised their hands.”

Christie said, “They raised their hands, but I didn’t. I wanted to be that voice telling you that this is unacceptable. We deserve better.”

—Lauren Camara contributed to this report