Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said he would make a decision about whether to run for president in 2024 in the “next 60 days,” and that a visit to New Hampshire, one of the earliest states in the primary process, could be a factor in his decision.
“I’m definitely thinking about running, probably make a decision in the next 60 days on what to do or not to do,” Christie said in a radio interview with Fox News’s Brian Kilmeade this week. “You know me, when I make a decision I’ll let everybody know.”
Christie, who served two terms as a Republican governor in a traditionally blue state, is slated to appear at an event in New Hampshire on Monday. Christie has become one of the most vocal critics of former President Trump, offering frequent rebukes of the former president in his gig as a panelist on ABC’s “This Week.”
“Someone who is seriously considering running for president should go out there and talk to people and see what reaction you get,” Christie told Kilmeade.
Christie ran for president in 2016, but dropped out and endorsed Trump. Christie also helped Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns and served as an adviser in the Trump administration. Since then, he and the former president have been critics of each other publicly.
In recent weeks, Christie has said that he does not think Trump could defeat President Biden in a general election rematch in 2024, opening the door for the need for an alternative GOP candidate this cycle.
Christie is considering jumping into a GOP primary that already includes Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. Other potential candidates being floated are Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who is seen as the main rival to Trump in the early primary, and former Vice President Mike Pence.
Christie told Fox News that his decision will hinge on whether he sees a pathway to winning in the primary, believing he has something to offer the country and the support of his family.
“If I answer ‘yes’ to all three of those questions, then I’ll run,” Christie said. “If I answer ‘no’ to one of them, then I won’t.”