Following a disappointing showing in New Hampshire, a state which Chris Christie had hoped for a decent finish, the Governor of New Jersey is officially ending his 2016 presidential campaign. Christie originally pledged to push into South Carolina, however, there doesn’t appear to be any conceivable path for him to the nomination.
Report from CBS News:
After a sixth place finish in New Hampshire’s Republican primary on Tuesday, Chris Christie is calling it quits.
The New Jersey governor made the decision after conferring with major donors. He concluded that he did not have the financial support to continue his campaign, reports CBS Chief White House Correspondent Major Garrett, citing a senior campaign source.
Christie spent significant campaign resources on the New Hampshire primary, wooing voters and banking on the state’s famous friendliness to governors running for the GOP nomination. Last week, Christie received plaudits for his debate takedown of rival Marco Rubio in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he slammed the Florida senator for his automaton-like answers to moderators’ questions.
But on Tuesday night, Christie finished with just single-digit support, behind Donald Trump, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and Rubio. After a poor showing in Iowa, Christie is the only candidate left running who has so far accumulated zero delegates.
Christie has been in contact with Donald Trump since last night and there are rumors that an endorsement deal might in the works. On the other hand, it’s plausible that Christie sits out for now given that his record as a Northeast Governor isn’t going to play strongly in conservative South Carolina.
Christie was already likely to miss the cut for the CBS News Republican Debate on Saturday. The field continues to thin though it appears the remaining candidates will all stick it out through South Carolina.
