From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie ends bid to be 2024 GOP presidential nominee
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ends his flailing bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, after failing to garner support for a campaign centered on criticism of the policies and character of frontrunner Donald Trump.
Christie drops out just days before the first Republican nominating contest in Iowa. Christie had the support of just 2% of Republicans in a nationwide Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Tuesday — the same level of support as former Representative Liz Cheney, who never declared herself a candidate.
Trump holds a big lead in the contest to be the party’s nominee against US President Joe Biden in November’s election, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll. The poll put him on 49%, ahead of former UN ambassador Nikki Haley at 12% and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on 11%.
DeSantis and Haley are vying to be the clear alternative to Trump and the backing of the 2% who supported Christie could help them on their way.
Christie tells a town hall event in New Hampshire that he no longer saw a path forward for his campaign.
“It’s clear to me tonight that there isn’t a path for me to win the nomination, which is why I’m suspending my campaign tonight for president of the United States,” Christie says.
