New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie enters Wednesday’s prime-time presidential debate in tenth place nationally, according to RealClearPolitics’ average of polls. In anticipation of taking the main stage, the governor hurled verbal attacks at members of his own party in Congress.
“I think what people are upset about around the country is that government doesn’t even work for them anymore and so that’s why I rail against the Republican Congress,” Christie said on the “Mike Gallagher Show.” “I rail against them because I had great hopes for them, as did so many people in this country and they haven’t delivered on that hope. And we need to tell the truth. I mean, just because they’re Republicans it doesn’t mean that I can’t criticize them. And that’s the problem with David Brooks and others like him.”
Christie, who fell to 12th place in the Washington Examiner‘s newest power rankings, continued to complain that the “Republican Congress is a failure,” and that he will “drag them to the water to drink” when he becomes president.
During the first GOP presidential debate, Christie focused his criticism on one GOP lawmaker in particular: Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a fellow presidential candidate. Christie and Paul sparred over civil liberties and the federal government’s surveillance techniques, which included Christie chastising Paul for “sitting in a subcommittee, just blowing hot air about this.”
As “outsider” candidates’ position continues to rise in national polls, viewers of Wednesday’s debate may expect to see the bombastic governor broaden his barbs to include more members of his own party, especially those in Washington. Christie will appear with ten other GOP presidential candidates in the second nationally televised debate on CNN at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time from Simi Valley, Calif.
