“The only choice was Donald Trump”, Christie said in a news conference before his rally this afternoon in the Super Tuesday state.
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Both at the rally and to reporters, Christie said his aim was to support the candidate who would best keep Democrat Hillary Clinton from “within ten miles of the White House”.
In a campaign year filled with ups and downs, the latest surprise is that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has endorsed New York City real estate developer Donald Trump. Christie stated that Trump was a strong and resolute leader, who had stepped graciously outside of the private sector to provide leadership at a time our country and the Republican Party needed it the most.
“There’s no question that Chris Christie – his retail skills, his connections, his bridge to the Republican mainstream – would be a big asset for Donald Trump in a national campaign”, CNBC’s John Harwood said on Friday following the endorsement.
The endorsement gives Trump a further lift before next week’s Super Tuesday nominating contests. It came after Rubio, in an abrupt shift cheered by anxious Republicans nationwide, shattered months of relative peace with Trump in Thursday night’s GOP debate. Marco Rubio and Texas Sen. And I’m going to make certain decisions on when I want to say what I’m going to say.
Christie – a potential running mate – defended Trump against attacks by Rubio and Cruz, saying that “desperate people do desperate things”. “I think you watch the act Senator Rubio’s been putting on for the last few weeks”, he said. “The idea that Marco Rubio can get inside Donald Trump’s head is an interesting proposition”.
According to the CNN Political Prediction Market, Rubio’s odds of winning the republican nomination were at 31% the morning after the debate, but have since dropped nearly 10% to 21%.
At the same time, Rubio allies prepared to spend millions on Trump attack ads in key states.
Christie will prove to be an indispensible asset for Trump and invaluable surrogate on TV and on the campaign trail. Schriefer says his op-ed and Christie’s endorsement were entirely unrelated, though the governor saw his piece before it went to press.
Trump, known for his frequent use of coarse and profane language on the campaign trail, also scolded former Mexican President Vicente Fox for using a profanity in talking about Trump’s plan for the wall.
When asked about the endorsement, Cruz dodged on weighing in. The Florida senator had employed increasingly personal attacks against Trump during debate on Thursday, Feb.25.
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Cruz also held an event Friday in Beaumont, Texas before flying to Nashville for an event with conservative commentator Sean Hannity.
