Defiant Chris Christie REFUSES to drop out of 2024 race because he is the only candidate ‘calling Trump a liar’: Releases new TV ad saying ex-president will ‘burn America to …

• 'Some people say I should drop out of this race. Really? I'm the only one saying Donald Trump is a liar,' Christie says in new TV ad
• The ad will air in New Hampshire where he is doubling down on his campaign
• Trump has massive lead in polls with Christie running third in that state

By Emily Goodin, Senior U.S.

Political Reporter[1]

Published: 18:03, 28 December 2023 | Updated: 18:04, 28 December 2023

Chris Christie hit back at calls for him to drop out of the Republican presidential primary, launching a new ad that calls Donald Trump[2] a liar and warns the former president will 'burn America to the ground.'

The former New Jersey[3] governor, a longtime Trump critic, doubled down on his long-shot presidential bid in a direct-to-camera ad targeting voters in New Hampshire[4], the first primary of the 2024 Republican contest.

'Some people say I should drop out of this race. Really? I'm the only one saying Donald Trump is a liar,' Christie says.

He goes on to warn of Trump: 'He'll burn America to the ground to help himself.

Every Republican leader says that in private, I'm the only one saying it in public. What kind of President Do we want a liar or someone who's got the guts to tell the truth? New Hampshire.

It's up to you.'

Chris Christie hit back at calls for him to drop out of the Republican presidential primary

Trump has a massive lead in the polls for the Republican presidential nomination.

In the RealClearPolitics polling average[5], Christie has a mere 3 per cent. Trump has 63 per cent. Florida[6] Gov. Ron DeSantis[7] comes closest to Trump and he is only polling at 11 per cent.

Christie's campaign made a seven-figure buy in New Hampshire to debut the ad, according to CNN.

His move comes about four weeks before voters go to the polls there.

He has run a shoestring campaign, counting on media interviews and his debate performances to keep his candidacy going until voters start voting.

Christie is counting on New Hampshire to give him a boost in the race with a strong showing there.

But other Republican candidates - including Nikki Haley - are making the same bet.

And there has been pressure on some of the trailing candidates like Christie to drop out in order to consolidate anti-Trump support to one contender.

Haley has gained momentum and donor support recently. In the RealClearPolitics average of New Hampshire polls, Trump leads with 46 per cent but Haley is second with 25 per cent. Christie is third with 11 per cent.

But she also is playing clean up after a major flub in the state[8], when she didn't mention slavery during a town hall event in Berlin, N.H., on Wednesday evening after being asked about the causes of the Civil War.

Republicans and Democrats alike pounced on her.

She quickly clarified her comments in an interview with New Hampshire public radio on Thursday: 'Of course the Civil War was about slavery. We know that, that's unquestioned, always the case, we know the Civil War was about slavery.'

'But it was also more than that. It was about the freedoms of every individual.

It was about the role of government...by the grace of God we did the right thing and slavery is no more.'

Donald Trump has a massive lead in the polls for the Republican presidential nomination

Nikki Haley is running in second place to Donald Trump in New Hampshire but is also cleaning up after a major flub there

Christie is skipping the Iowa caucuses - the first primary contest - and it's unclear if he'll meet the thresh hold for the next debate, on Jan.

10.

Haley, meanwhile, received the endorsement from New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who is influential in that state.

Last week Christie noted that even if he left the race before the New Hampshire primary, not all of his supporters would necessarily back Haley.

He told a voter at a house party in Portsmouth that if Haley showed him 'she was actually running against Donald Trump,' then he 'might' consider supporting her.

But, Christie argued, 'Nikki won't answer the question' as to whether she would accept a vice presidential role from Trump, something he and DeSantis have both said they would reject.

Christie has played up his role as the anti-Trump candidate while Haley has focused more on questioning Trump's electability and DeSantis has questioned Trump's ability to deliver his agenda.

He also told the Messenger earlier this month that he has voting thresholds in mind for New Hampshire and Iowa, noting if he doesn't meet those numbers, he'll forfeit.

But he wouldn't say what those numbers are.

'That's for me to know. And believe me, you'll see me react to it.

It's not like you don't know what I will do. In 2016, I didn't get to the number I wanted to get to, and I dropped out the next day,' Christie said. 'But I don't think that's gonna happen. I feel it when I'm out there now interacting with voters.'

References

1. ^ Emily Goodin, Senior U.S.

   Political Reporter (www.dailymail.co.uk)

2. ^ Donald Trump (www.dailymail.co.uk)
3. ^ New Jersey (www.dailymail.co.uk)
4. ^ New Hampshire (www.dailymail.co.uk)
5. ^ RealClearPolitics polling average (www.realclearpolling.com)
6. ^ Florida (www.dailymail.co.uk)
7. ^ DeSantis (www.dailymail.co.uk)
8. ^ playing clean up after a major flub in the state (www.dailymail.co.uk)