Put Chris Christie firmly on the list of potential 2024 Republican presidential contenders.
The former New Jersey governor declined to rule out another presidential run in the next campaign cycle, regardless of whether President Trump mounts another White House bid.
“If President Trump decides to run in 2024, are you ruling out running against him?” radio host Hugh Hewitt asked Christie in a Monday morning interview.
“I would not, no,” Christie responded.
“You would not rule it out, or you would not run?” Hewitt asked.
“I would not rule it out,” Christie said.
“Well, that would be interesting. That’s interesting,” Hewitt said.
Earlier this month, Christie started running television ads encouraging people to wear face masks in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, in a break in tone from Trump. Christie was hospitalized after contracting the virus in October.
“I was wrong not to wear a mask at the Amy Coney Barrett announcement. And I was wrong not to wear a mask at my multiple debate prep sessions with the president and the rest of the team,” Christie said in the ad.
The 58-year-old, who was a two-term New Jersey governor from 2010 to 2018, also sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 but lost to Trump. Christie was then tasked with running Trump’s transition effort in 2016 but was fired just weeks after the election after butting heads with Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner.
Earlier this year, Christie prepared Trump for debates against now-President-elect Joe Biden. He said that Trump disregarded advice when he repeatedly attacked and interrupted Biden in the first debate.
“All of us said, ‘If Joe Biden interrupts you, don’t let him interrupt you,’ but not to be interrupting nearly as much as he did that night,” Christie said. “That was really almost polar opposite of what we had been practicing for four days in the White House.”
Christie added that he was “trying to” speak to Trump more, ahead of the transition, but noted that the two disagree about election challenges, election fraud, and accepting the results of the election. He does not expect Trump to attend Biden’s inauguration.
“My impression is, I’m doubtful he will [attend the inauguration], but he’s Donald Trump, which makes him very unpredictable, so you never quite know,” Christie said.
