| By Richard Ahern — Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s potential 2024 presidential run is causing a stir in the Republican Party. No stranger to controversy, Christie’s outspoken criticism of Donald Trump is at the forefront of his campaign.
This begs the question…
How much tolerance is there in the GOP for a candidate that so openly opposes the former president?
Many Republicans view Christie’s bid with skepticism, suggesting it might be more of a self-indulgent endeavor than a serious challenge. GOP strategist Keith Naughton believes Christie will primarily focus on opposing Trump rather than providing a distinct vision for the party.
That’s just half of the story…
Others argue that Christie’s aggressive style could shake up the candidate pool, even causing some damage to Trump’s reputation. According to Jason Cabel Roe, a GOP strategist who previously worked on campaigns for Senators Marco Rubio and Mitt Romney, Christie’s capacity to “throw the hard punches” could indirectly benefit other candidates in the field.
The 2024 Republican contenders face the complex task of advocating for policies that conservatives favored during Trump’s presidency while distinguishing themselves from the former president. For many, taking direct aim at Trump is considered a risk, as it could potentially alienate many voters who still respect the former president.
However, Christie has not backed down from openly criticizing Trump…
Following the midterm results, Christie drew attention to the losses suffered by Trump-supported candidates. According to him, this was a “huge loss for Trump,” adding, “his political instincts are not about the party, they’re not about the country, they’re about him.”
The former New Jersey governor has also commented on the size of audiences who attend Trump’s speeches. According to Christie, Trump’s rallies are not as big as they once were, which he thinks suggests declining support for the former president.
On the contrary, the recent town hall events with Donald Trump paint a somewhat different picture. Both events with CNN and Fox showed substantial crowds that adored the former president.
Brian Seitchik, an Arizona-based GOP strategist and a former staff member of the Trump campaign, sees a silver lining in Christie’s explicit anti-Trump stance. This approach could potentially yield benefits in the long term, particularly if another Republican clinches the presidential nomination and ultimately takes the White House.
The speculation is that Christie’s criticism could lead to a future Republican president rewarding him with a significant role, such as Attorney General. However, Seitchik doubts this strategy’s effectiveness in swaying GOP voters to cast their ballot for Christie.
Another Republican strategist and former Christie aide, Colin Reed, believes that Christie’s willingness to confront Trump head-on could be beneficial. Reed affirmed that Christie’s presidential run is serious, implying that Christie sees a viable path to success.
It’s worth noting that Christie’s aggressive style has proven effective in the past. For example, during a 2016 debate in New Hampshire, Christie launched a volley of criticisms at Marco Rubio. The result? A substantial blow to Rubio’s presidential aspirations.
Uniquely among the contenders, Christie has debated Trump before in 2016 and even assisted him in debate preparation during the 2020 cycle, giving him an intimate understanding of Trump’s debating strategies.
Yet the poll numbers tell a very different story…
The only Republican candidate that has come close to Trump in the polls is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Still, the gap between the two continues to widen as Trump gains more popularity.
As of 2 June, Trump has stormed ahead in the Republican primary polls to almost 54%, with DeSantis now trailing at just 20%. Other candidates, such as Pence, Haley, and Ramaswamy, have all failed to get past 5%.
Trump is a unique case because his popularity grows with his controversy — evidenced by how the recent court cases and indictments caused his poll numbers to increase!
Many strategists fail to understand that Trump is the Republican party. Without him, many of his supporters would likely refuse to vote for any other Republican — essentially, handing the presidency to the Democrats before the real campaigning starts.
We need YOUR help! We bring you the uncensored news for FREE, but we can only do this thanks to the support of loyal readers just like YOU! If you believe in free speech and enjoy real news, please consider supporting our mission by becoming a patron or by making a one-off donation here. 20% of ALL funds are donated to veterans!
This article is only possible thanks to our sponsors and patrons!
Join the discussion!