Christie, Hutchinson absent from Maine GOP primary ballot

Former Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) won’t be on the Maine primary ballot, the state Secretary of State announced Saturday.

Christie and former Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-Ark.) were the only GOP candidates still in the presidential race to be missing from the list of candidates on the primary ballot. Author Marianne Williamson was also not listed on the Democratic ballot.

Candidates are required to submit 2,000 petitioned signatures in order to be placed on the Maine ballot, according to state law.

On Friday, Maine officials informed the Christie campaign that the former governor only received 844 valid signatures in the state. Friday was the filing deadline for the Pine Tree State.

“The campaign collected and submitted over 6,000 signatures,” a spokesperson for Christie’s campaign told CBS News. “This is simply a procedural issue with the way they reviewed signatures and is under appeal.”

Christie has struggled to maintain momentum in his campaign, but hoped that his status as a staunch critic of former President Trump could carve a path to the White House.

He has lagged in national polls, but put up stronger performances in New Hampshire, where he has focused campaign resources.

On Friday, Christie said he is “confident” that he will qualify for next week’s fourth GOP debate in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He said polls are still too early to paint a real picture of the race.

“If you look at polling over the last few cycles, you know who was winning the race in 2007 on Thanksgiving? It was Mitt Romney,” Christie said. “Who was winning the race in 2011? It was Newt Gingrich. And in 2015 it was Ben Carson.”

The Hill has reached out to Christie and Hutchinson’s campaigns for comment.