Chris Christie: Midterm results show Trump’s political instincts are ‘about him’

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said that the latest results from Tuesday’s midterm elections show that former President Trump’s political instincts are “about” himself and not for his party. 

Christie made the remarks during an appearance on ABC’s “Good Morning America” after co-anchor George Stephanopoulos asked if he agreed with an assessment about Trump being the biggest loser in the election.

In response, Christie said that the GOP lost races in key battleground states due to the party’s choices of “inferior candidates.” Trump has come under criticism for backing candidates that some Republicans thought could be weak in a general election.

Christie noted that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) shared the same concerns about the Senate candidate choices in the party earlier this summer. 

“And all — almost every one of these Trump-endorsed candidates that you see in competitive states has lost … and it’s a huge loss for Trump,” Christie told Stephanopoulos during Wednesday’s segment. “And again, it shows that his political instincts are not about the party, they’re not about the country, they’re about him.”

Christie, a former 2016 presidential candidate, also said that Trump will only endorse candidates who publicly tout his continued false claims that the 2020 election was stolen amid voter fraud. 

“So there’s one litmus test. If you say the 2020 election was stolen, I’m with you, and if you don’t, I’m not and your qualifications or your ability to win don’t enter the evaluation,” Christie added. 

Christie’s remarks come as some Trump-endorsed candidates lost their state races in last night’s midterm elections, giving an unexpected boost to the Democrats and sparking some uncertainty about the party’s future with Trump leading the way ahead of the 2024 presidential election. 

Speaking at an Ohio rally on Monday, Trump said he plans to make a major announcement on Nov. 15 at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Many think the announcement will be that he is launching another bid for the White House.