Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said Wednesday that former President Trump is “afraid” to take the stage in Republican primary debates after Trump, who holds a commanding lead in the GOP polls, floated skipping the events. Christie, a former Trump ally who has become one of his more vocal Republican critics, told conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt that the GOP should hold “as many” debates as it can and should have an “open format” to allow for follow-up questions and prevent candidates from giving “soundbyte-y answers that nobody believes will solve any problems.”