(DailyVantage.com) – Former Governor and failed presidential candidate Chris Christie is refusing to endorse former President Donald Trump despite renewed criticism from other members of the Republican Party. Christie doubled down on his refusal to endorse Trump, claiming he won’t support the former president regardless of which candidate the Republican Party chooses to nominate. According to Christie, Trump is too divisive and conflict-driven to be a good choice for the American public.
Christie’s refusal to endorse Trump contrasts with his failed 2016 presidential bid, in which he publicly supported Trump after dropping from the race. Christie said that he considers his 2016 endorsement one of his biggest mistakes as a presidential candidate and publicly stated that he wouldn’t support Trump if the former president won the Republican Party’s nomination in 2024. Christie also made divisive comments about his fellow Republican candidates, like Nikki Haley, during a hot mic incident. Christie’s secretive comments indicate that he won’t support either Haley or Trump, prompting some Republicans to criticize him for his political infighting.
According to Michigan GOP Chair Pete Hoekstra, Christie should respect the election process and publicly endorse Trump since both candidates hail from the same political party. Hoekstra claims that Christie’s adamant refusal to support Trump is “unacceptable” and inappropriate. The annual Pennsylvania Leadership Conference’s chief organizer, Lowman Henry, shared a sentiment similar to Hoekstra’s. Henry said that Christie had to sign a loyalty pledge to participate in the presidential debates, a pledge he should fulfill by supporting Trump upon his potential nomination.
Henry also stated that the 2024 presidential election will ultimately result in another race between incumbent President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, meaning that Christie’s decision to refuse an endorsement is equivalent to supporting the Democratic Party. Despite Christie’s public refusal to provide any support to Trump, many political experts believe the former governor will eventually endorse Trump once the primary process concludes. If Christie refuses to join his fellow Republicans by joining Trump’s supporters, it could cost him his already minor following of conservative voters.
According to a senior member of the Republican National Committee, Morton Blackwell, Christie’s public criticism of Trump and his refusal to endorse the former president resulted from his jealousy of the Trump administration. Blackwell said that he believes Christie is envious of Trump’s policies, which gained him a loyal following among independents and conservatives. Blackwell also claims that unless Christie changes his stance and endorses Trump, he’ll never improve his standing within the Republican Party.
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