Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie has entered the fray to win Republican Party nomination to run for president in US Presidential Election 2024. Christie filed his paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday (June 6). This came ahead of a evening announcement planned in Manchester, New Hampshire. Media reports suggested that Christie presents a novel challenge to current frontrunner and former US president Donald Trump. Christie may be willing to land genuinely damaging blows on the former president.
Christie (60) is a Newark native and had come sixth in New Hampshire seven years ago. He eventually endorsed Trumpand even served as a key advisor. The pair fell out over Trump’s refusal to accept his 2020 election defeat.
First shots
Christie has already started taking shots at Trump. Last month, he said that Trump was “afraid” of debating against serious opponents. Trump has hinted that he may skip at least on of initial two Republican primary debates. He has expressed reluctance to share limelight with low-polling opponents.
“If he really cares about the country — and I have deep questions about that — but if he really cares about the country, then he’s going to get up there, and he shouldn’t be afraid,” Christie told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.
Christie has attacked Trump on many issues in recent past and has highlighted the escalating criminal probes that are targetting him. Christie has trashed Trump’s claims of election fraud and even called him “Putin’s puppet”.
“Because he will attack Trump relentlessly, Christie’s campaign will get a ton of coverage in the mainstream press, which may help him do well in New Hampshire,” said John Ellis, former head of Fox News Election Night Decision Desk. He was quoted by AFP.
Christie’s entry into the ring has come just a day after former US vice president and Trump’s former running mate Mike Pence filed paperwork to enter the growing field of candidates. Pence’s entry has set stage for an unusual scene in which two running mates will be competing against each other.
The evangelical Christian plans an official campaign launch on Wednesday in the early voting state of Iowa — joining an already crowded field that includes Florida governor Ron DeSantis, Trump’s closest competition.
Former governors Nikki Haley and Asa Hutchinson are also in the race, while North Dakota’s chief executive Doug Burgam is due to announce on Wednesday.
Trump is the current frontrunner
Polls are currently showing that Donald Trump has a clear lead on his rivals within the party. He leads Ron DeSantis, his closest rival, in excess of 30 ponts.
However, Trump is increasingly engulfed in multiple criminal investigations that have yielded dozens of felony charges in New York.
(With inputs from agencies)
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