(The Center Square) – Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie suspended his campaign Wednesday, saying there was no way for him to win the GOP nomination for president.
Christie made the announcement at a campaign stop in New Hampshire. Christie has been polling near the back up the pack, well behind former President Donald Trump and other GOP candidates.
“It’s clear to me tonight there isn’t a path for me to win the nomination, which is why I’m suspending my campaign tonight for President of the United States,” Christie said in a video published by The Independent.
The announcement came after he again criticized Trump and other candidates who he said have failed to call out Trump’s decisions.
“I also know though it’s the right thing for me to do,” he said. “Because I want to promise you this: I am going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump to ever be President of the United States again and that’s more important than my own personal ambition.”
Christie endorsed Trump before the 2016 election, but has made his most recent campaign all about stopping the former president from returning to the White House.
Trump was quick to punch back Wednesday after hearing about Christie’s announcement.
“I hear Chris Christie is dropping out of the race today – I might even get to like him again!” Trump posted on his social media site, Truth Social.
Trump then found a point of agreement with Christie, who was heard on a hot mic talking about GOP rival Nikki Haley, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
“Anyway, he was just caught on a hot mic making a very truthful statement: ‘She’s gonna get smoked…You and I both know it, she’s not up to this,’ ” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore said Christie’s campaign was bound to fail.
“The Christie for President campaign never made any sense,” he said in a statement. “Sheer hatred of President Trump was never a justification for a candidacy. Running for President means showing a vision for a better and safer future for our country”
