The former New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie, concluded his presidential campaign on Wednesday with some candid commentary about his rivals, which were inadvertently captured on a hot mic.
What Happened: Christie was heard making a comment about the former U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, stating, “She’s gonna get smoked.”
Although Christie did not reference Haley by name, it is evident that he was talking about her, given that she’s the only female running candidate in the GOP race.
"And you and I both know it. She's not up to this," he added.
Since there was no camera, it remains unclear who Christie was speaking to just as he exited the political stage.
During the hot mic incident, Christie also referred to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who Christie claimed had reached out to him, appearing “petrified.” The reason behind DeSantis’ apprehension remains unclear.
Why It Matters: Christie has previously shown a lack of support for Haley’s campaign and even resisted appeals from Haley’s supporters to withdraw from the race. The former governor of New Jersey stood out as a vocal critic of the party’s leading candidate, former President Donald Trump, often finding himself in a solitary position in this year’s Republican primary. Wrapping up his suspension speech, Christie declared his commitment to combatting forces, presumably referring to Trump, that pose a threat to the country.
According to a Real Clear Politics poll, Christie trailed behind Trump and Haley with 12% support in New Hampshire. While Trump had 43% support of the Republican voters, Haley had 29.3% support.
Meanwhile, After Christie withdrew from the GOP primary race, former President Trump said he may come around to liking the former governor now. "I hear Chris Christie is dropping out of the race today — I might even get to like him again! Anyway, he was just caught on a hot mic making a very truthful statement: "She's gonna get smoked…You and I both know it, she's not up to this," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"I agree with Christie that Nikki Haley is ‘going to get smoked,'" DeSantis wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Photo by Bryan Littel on Shutterstock
This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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