Chris Christie to DROP OUT of 2024 Republican presidential race in stunning U-turn that could be huge boost to Nikki Haley as she challenges Donald Trump, multiple reports claim

Chris Christie dramatically announced Wednesday that he was dropping out of the 2024 Republican presidential race, issuing a furious denunciation of Donald Trump and telling supporters he was committed to keeping his former ally out of the White House.

‘It’s clear to me tonight that there isn’t a path or me to win the nomination, which is why I’m suspending my campaign tonight for president of the United States,’ Christie told supporters in Windham, New Hampshire.

It is a stunning development that could be a major boost for Nikki Haley as many of Christie’s voters would be expected to now back her.

But in extended remarks, Christie didn’t give anything close to an endorsement of one of Trump’s remaining challengers. Instead, he ripped unnamed contenders for ambition and ‘cowardice’ for being unwilling to go directly at the frontrunner. And he called out Haley by name as among those who wouldn’t sufficiently to stand up to Trump. (She has said Trump would bring ‘chaos’ if reelected but hasn’t ruled out running as his VP if asked).

He blasted the ‘smallness of the campaigns who spend more time arguing and worrying about who should get out of the race than they have spent going after the frontrunner.’

Christie went after a campaign that he said doesn’t ‘play to win. It’s a campaign that plays to not offend.’

Chris Christie spoke to supporters at a town hall in Windham, New Hampshire, after it was reported he was dropping out of the GOP primary

He said the nation’s problems ‘will not be solved by people who are too afraid to talk about what the real problems are.’

In one of his most visceral attacks, he said Trump, a former New Yorker, wouldn’t have acted in the nation’s interest if he were in the Oval Office on Sept. 11th.

‘First thing he would have done is run to the bunker to protect himself,’ said Christie.

‘Anyone who is unwilling to say that he is unfit to be president of the United States is unfit themselves to be president of the United States,’ he said.

It came moments after he got caught on a hot mic saying Haley would ‘get smoked’ and was ‘not up to this.’

He blamed his rivals for failing to take on Trump.

Christie’s denunciation of Trump and his rivals was carried on cable TV, although Fox and CNN each cut away before he was done

Christie made his comments at a scheduled town hall, where he committed himself to making sure Trump never got back to the White House

Christie ripped fellow Republicans for being unwilling to go directly at Trump

‘If Donald Trump becomes the nominee of this party, the moment that it happened was when Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, Mike Pence, Doug Burgum, and Vivek Ramaswamy stood on that stage in Milwaukee in August and when we were asked would you support someone who was a convicted felon be president of the United States, they raised their hands,’ he said.

The former New Jersey governor didn’t spare senior Republicans in Congress from his critique. He mentioned Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso and House GOP Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, who both endorsed Trump. 

‘They know better. I know they know better.’ He went after ‘people who continue to deny the results of the 2020 election’ and ‘people in leadership in the House who go on TV and say that the people who attacked the Capitol on January 6 are hostages.’

That was a reference to Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), a former Trump critic who used the ‘hostage’ term to describe January 6 defendants, following Trump’s lead. 

‘I tell you who hostages are. The Israelis who are still being hidden in tunnes in Gaza against their will, out of no fault of their own,’ he said. 

‘President Trump has already vanquished 8 challengers before a single vote has been cast because Republican voters want a strong leader who will reboot our economy, secure our border, make America energy independent again, and keep our families safe, said Karoline Leavitt, spokeswoman for Make America Great Again Inc. 

Haley’s campaign released a statement where she spoke of their friendship and, like Trump, didn’t directly address his criticism.

‘Chris Christie has been a friend for many years. I commend him on a hard-fought campaign. Voters have a clear choice in this election: the chaos and drama of the past or a new generation of conservative leadership. I will fight to earn every vote, so together we can build a strong and proud America,’ she said.

Christie based his campaign on being the most vocal and aggressive opponent of Trump. But he has been languishing in polls and came under increasing pressure to withdraw and give Haley, who has been gaining momentum, a better opportunity to catch Trump.

The former New Jersey governor will end his campaign before Iowa becomes the first state to vote on Monday, according to Bloomberg and journalist Mark Halperin. He is pictured with wife Mary campaigning in New Hampshire 

An average of polls had Christie in fifth place in Iowa on 3 percent support.  

He had staked nearly his entire campaign on success in New Hampshire, the second state to vote on January 23. According to polls he was in third place there on 12 per cent. 

His shock decision to pull out came just a day after he had rejected the idea that ending his presidential bid would help Haley defeat Trump.

Speaking at a in a barbecue restaurant in New Hampshire on Tuesday he said: ‘I would be happy to get out of the way for someone who is actually running against Donald Trump. Why do we think she (Haley) would beat him? She’s not trying to beat him.’

He noted her support for pardoning Trump if any of his criminal trials end in conviction, and her refusal to rule out becoming Trump’s running mate if asked.

‘Let’s say I dropped out of the race right now and I supported Nikki Haley,’ Christie said on Tuesday.

‘And then three months from now, four months from now, when you’re ready to go to the convention, she comes out as his vice president. What will I look like? What will all the people who supported her at my behest look like?’

It is a stunning development that could be a major boost for Nikki Haley as many of Christie’s voters would be expected to now back her 

Christie’s withdrawal could benefit Nikki Haley

Christie had been the candidate most critical of Trump

Christie on the debate stage with his rivals

Christie made a recent appearance on The View

At his a town hall event in New Hampshire on Tuesday one of Christie’s voters suggested he should consider dropping out.

Greg Leach, 49, of Dover, told Christie that he wants his vote to count and asked him about the need to unify around one anti-Trump candidate.

‘I really want to vote for Christie but strategically, at this point I feel like Nikki Haley is the way to go,’ he said..

Leach said he’s interested in seeing what happens in Iowa but wondered if Christie should drop out sooner rather than later.

‘I don’t want it to be too late and have Trump end up winning because people waited too long,’ he said.

Christie had maintained that he would remain in the race as long as he saw a path to the nomination.

He had also said he would not make an endorsement based on politics like he did when he backed Trump eight years ago.

‘I’m not going to make the same mistake again,’ he said. ‘Can’t do it.’

On Tuesday a spokesperson for Haley’s political action committee said: ‘It’s time for voters to tell Christie what we all know, which is that his campaign isn’t stopping anyone and frankly, it’s helping Trump, whom he proudly endorsed in 2016 and supposedly opposes in 2024.’

But the math in recent polls was sending a signal about a way for Christie to make an impact in his crusade to stop Trump after lending his support to his former rival in 2016.

The latest CNN / University of New Hampshire poll had Trump leading the field with 39 per cent, with Hailing trailing by just 7 points at 32 per cent.

Christie was at 12 point. But if most of his supporters went to Haley, it could provide a way for her to find a way to surpass Trump in the first-in-the-nation primary.

Christie’s planned announcement came after a pro-Trump super PAC started hammering Haley with a new ad on immigration – in a move that responded to her polling rise.