Posted on 02/10/2016 7:45:23 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Chris Christie may have won a battle against Marco Rubio in New Hampshire, but he ended up losing the war. Despite having rattled Rubio enough during the debate to reverse his Iowa momentum, Christie wound up trailing Rubio by three points and finishing well out of the delegate hunt. With his Granite State strategy in shreds and his inability to qualify for the next Republican debate, Christie went home to New Jersey last night instead of making his promised visit to South Carolina:
Christie told supporters Tuesday evening that he is heading back to New Jersey Wednesday -- and not going to South Carolina -- so he can take stock of his Republican presidential bid.
"We decided that we're going to go home to New Jersey tomorrow and we're going to take a deep breath," he said.
Christie had a somber tone during his speech, as he said he wants to reassess everything after the final tally from the primary comes in. He is projected to finish sixth.
CNN reports this morning that Christie’s discussing exit strategies with his campaign advisers:
Two sources close to Chris Christie says he is huddling with his top campaign aides today and all indications are that they expect him to formally suspend his campaign and end his bid for the Republican nomination. Details are still begin worked out.
One source noted that the New Jersey governor is a “political realist” and understood that not qualifying to appear in Saturday’s debate and the lack of money made it impossible to go forward.
Rubio’s polling definitely took a hit from his exchange with Christie on Saturday night. Why didn’t Christie’s rise from it? Fox’s Brit Hume probably said it best during last night’s coverage. “Voters already have a bully-boy in Donald Trump,” and didn’t need two.
ABC hears the same thing:
NEW: Chris Christie expected to formally suspend his presidential campaign as early as today, @ABC News has learned pic.twitter.com/wdHfW9JUEA
— ABC News (@ABC) February 10, 2016
There does not appear to be much reason to persevere. Christie’s doing poorly in South Carolina polling, and he bet most of his campaign on New Hampshire. Instead of getting the so-called “establishment lane” to himself, John Kasich and Jeb Bush beat him instead. He may have helped propel Kasich to a better result with his attack on Rubio, but Christie didn’t even succeed to the extent of knocking him out of the race.
With Christie out, the remaining governors could hope to consolidate that so-called establishment lane, but … there doesn’t appear to be much appetite among voters for that option. In Christie’s case, there simply isn’t that much to split.
Too bad - I was hoping he’d stick around and kick Rubio a few more times.
Never thought I would say this.
Thank you John Kaisch for jamming up the Establishment Lane with your clown car campaign this year.
Christie is a suck-up, so I expect him to throw his support to Trump.
He looked like a big, fat Federal prosecutor in that last debate. Out to get you. That’s why he didn’t help himself.
Agreed. I’ve been cheering for Christie, Jeb, Rubio, and Kasich to all stay to the bitter end and keep the establishment vote divided.
Better his support and not his weight!
It would have been better had Krispy Kream did it yesterday...on FAT tuesday!!!
Maybe he can run as a democrat.
Christie's exit from the race helps Rubio ... the other two establishment buffoons can't speak a cogent sentence between them.
Don't forget to tip your waitress.
Ha! Same.
So whose backside is he going to kiss, 0bama’s or Bernie’s? He’s had a lot of experience with his lips on 0bama’s rectum, but maybe he’ll switch to Bernie.
Christie is a suck-up, so I expect him to throw his support to Trump.
There will be huge pressure from the party for all but one of those guys to drop out.
I think I’ll go get a donut.
Buy stock in Krispy Kreme Donuts, stat!
He is going off his diet today!
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