This sent shockwaves through the political landscape.
In a candid moment captured by a hot mic on Wednesday night, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie expressed his belief that Nikki Haley would face a tough challenge in the Republican presidential race. The incident occurred offstage before Christie’s announcement in Windham, N.H., where he revealed his decision to withdraw from the presidential bid. The unguarded comments were inadvertently broadcasted on the livestream of the event.
Christie’s remarks seemed to center around Haley’s significant expenditure on TV ads, surpassing both DeSantis and himself. He questioned the efficacy of her campaign strategy, pondering, “I mean, who’s punching above their weight and who’s getting a return on their investment?” Christie bluntly predicted, “She’s going to get smoked — you and I both know it. She’s not up to this.”
The former governor also shared insights into a call he had with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, noting, “DeSantis called me — petrified.” However, Christie’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the candid remarks.
Wayne MacDonald, former chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party and head of Christie’s state steering committee, confirmed that he was the individual conversing with Christie on the hot mic. He clarified that during the moment captured, Christie was confirming his decision to exit the race.
A source familiar with the situation revealed that Governor DeSantis had called Christie earlier in the day, expressing appreciation for his role in the race, irrespective of his decision. The source also disclosed that during the conversation, Christie criticized Haley, labeling her a joke and asserting that she had performed poorly and was not up to the task.
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign seized the opportunity, sharing the hot mic moment on Truth Social and highlighting it on Twitter. In response to Christie’s announcement, Nikki Haley issued a statement commending him on his hard-fought campaign. She emphasized the voters’ choice between the chaos of the past and a new generation of conservative leadership, pledging to fight for every vote in the pursuit of building a strong and proud America.
