Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has come out swinging about former President Donald Trump. He’s aiming to set himself apart from the rest of the field, and his approach just might be working.
In his campaign announcement on June 6, Christie called Trump’s family “grifters” for their many dealings with Saudi Arabia. He’s one of the few candidates to go after Trump personally. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, still sinking in the polls, has been politely highlighting his policy differences with the former president. He’s aiming to run to Trump’s right. While South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and former Ambassador Nikki Haley have avoided any substantive criticism of him.
As for former Vice President Mike Pence? He did say January 6 was a tragic day. “I chose the constitution and I always will,” he told supporters at his big announcement.
He then brought up specific articles on the constitution that required him to move forward with certifying the election results. His entire opening speech was essentially an explanation and thus a defense of his actions. He said he’d hope Trump would come around and see he was misled. Forgive Trump, for he know not what he did. Pence implied that Trump was essentially innocent and just misguided. Pence had no sense of pride for doing what he did, deciding not to directly single out Trump or call his behavior reckless. He’s too scared to go there.
But Christie isn’t. In an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, she brought up a clip of a high-schooler asking DeSantis a key question at a New Hampshire town hall. “Do you believe Trump violated violated the peaceful transfer of power?”
DeSantis squirmed around the answer. “I wasn’t anywhere near Washington that day, I have nothing to do with what happened on that day, I didn’t enjoy seeing what happened. But we have to move forward on that stuff, we can’t look backwards and be mired in the past,” he said.
See no evil, hear no evil.
“Is that the way Republicans should be answering that question?,” Collins asked Christie.
In response, he didn’t mince words. “Does he have a TV? Was he alive that day? You don’t have an opinion on January 6 except I didn’t particularly enjoy what happened? People were killed that day defending the Capitol. And Donald Trump sat outside the oval office eating a well done cheeseburger and watching TV, doing nothing to stop what was going on until it got to the point where even he couldn’t stand it.”
Clearly, Christie is punching Trump the hardest. The well-done cheeseburger comment might also be a sly and subtle dig at the former president’s manhood. Rare or medium rare, of course, is the most masculine way to go, temp-wise.
And proving to be deft with voters, Christie noted that he knew the kid who asked DeSantis the question, while also finding the opportunity to attack the Florida governor. “I know who that student was, he goes to every town hall meetings in NH, three of mine. He asks really tough questions, and I said to him, see if any candidates will answer your question directly and grade them on it and I suspect DeSantis will get an F on the answer. It was one of the disgraceful days in American history and the former president was principally responsible for it. And while the riot was going on, we know Trump was watching while being urged, by even his own family, to get out and say something. He refused because he was enjoying watching people yell and scream things in his name.”
Needless to say, when asked if Christie would support Trump should he be the nominee, he joined only two other candidates in the presidential field by noting that he wouldn’t.
Voters like a little guts, and Christie is bringing that. His approach seems to be making a dent in the polls, albeit a somewhat small one. In Pennsylvania, he’s tied at five percent with Mike Pence for third place. And in the crucial early voting state of New Hampshire, Christie sits comfortably in third place, only 12 points below DeSantis. This gives Christie even more hope as Trump is only at 47 percent in that most recent St. Anselm College poll. Being under 50 is dangerous for a frontrunner and shows there’s room for another candidate to beat him.
Will Christie surpass DeSantis as the clear Trump alternative? He’s clearly throwing lobs at the guy, and new polls have the former New Jersey Governor within striking distance. Watch the nomination turn into a food fight. Voters don’t want a mealy-mouthed candidate. Either be pro Trump, or go against him, but do it all the way. Christie’s authenticity means something. Still, Trump is probably unlikely to lose the nomination, but Christie is certainly making it an entertaining race. Nothing wrong with watching the over-dog get kicked around a bit.
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