Former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey made headlines on Thursday as he returned to New Hampshire for a series of campaign appearances following his impressive performance in the third Republican Party debate. The events quickly became a type of victory lap for Christie as he regaled audiences with stories from the debate stage.
During his stops at universities in New Hampshire, Christie highlighted his zingers against his opponents during the debate. His performance earned him praise, particularly for his scathing attacks against Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Vivek Ramaswamy, a tech entrepreneur.
Addressing students at Keene State College, Christie recounted a heated exchange with DeSantis, who dodged a question about former President Trump’s fitness for office. Christie claimed DeSantis was eager to move past the question, which he wouldn’t allow.
Christie emphasized the importance of the debate as the race enters its final stages ahead of January’s primary voting. He expressed confidence, declaring himself as the last person standing against Trump, promising voters an entertaining race.
Although trailing in third place in New Hampshire polls, Christie remains confident that his vocal opposition to Trump will resonate with Republican primary voters. At the debate, he painted Trump as one step away from being a felon and criticized other Republican candidates for their reluctance to speak out against the former president.
Christie also voiced his personal offense at Ramaswamy’s attacks on Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina, during an interview. He vowed not to let such comments go unchallenged.
As Christie asked for the votes of faculty members, students, and even high schoolers during his visit to Franklin Pierce University, he faced heckles and criticism for embracing conservative positions. Despite the opposition, he found some supporters among the audience.
Overall, Christie’s energetic performance during his campaign appearances in New Hampshire left an impression, sparking conversations about his potential to make gains among voters sympathetic to his anti-Trump stance. His confidence and resilience have set the stage for an interesting and eventful primary race in the coming months.