Former Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a fierce critic of presumed GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, said Wednesday he would not make a bid for the White House with third-party group No Labels.
Christie, who’s been exploring the possibility of a No Labels campaign in recent weeks after suspending his campaign with the GOP in January, said in a statement that he determined a run would be unsuccessful and potentially help Trump win by drawing votes away from Biden.
“I appreciate the encouragement I’ve gotten to pursue a third-party candidacy,” Christie said. “While I believe this is a conversation that needs to be had with the American people, I also believe that if there is not a pathway to win and if my candidacy in any way, shape or form would help Donald Trump become president again, then it is not the way forward.”
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Speaking on the condition of anonymity, people involved with Christie’s exploration into joining No Labels told The Washington Post that his team commissioned polling in 13 states and concluded that a win wasn’t feasible at this time.
Christie wouldn’t rule out the idea in a “Good Morning America” interview last month.
“Oh, I don’t know. There’d be a long conversation between me and [my wife] Mary Pat, I can guarantee you that,” he said.
NBC News reported in January that No Labels, a group of 800 delegates with a 50-50 split of Democrats and Republicans from every state, was intrigued by Christie’s strong opposition to Trump and was courting him as a potential candidate. Earlier this month, its delegates voted to go ahead and field a third-party candidate.
Christie was once a strong ally of Trump during his presidency but came out against him when he refused to accept that President Joe Biden had beat him in the 2020 election. He’s since been very clear that he will not support Trump again.
“The one thing I can tell you for sure is I don’t know what I’m gonna do in November. But I’m not voting for Donald Trump, under any circumstances,” he said in an ABC News interview last month.
But Christie also said on NBC’s “Meet The Press” last month that he doesn’t anticipate voting for Biden, either.
“I can’t see myself voting for him because I don’t agree with his policies, and I have serious questions about his competence to serve another four years,” he said.
