Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie urged to ‘withdraw immediately’ under mounting pressure
Christie’s Struggle for Attention at GOP Debate
At the fourth GOP primary debate on Wednesday, it took a whopping 17 minutes before former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was finally able to get a word in. Frustrated by being overshadowed by his higher-polling counterparts, Christie humorously quipped, “I’m usually not someone who gets missed.”
Pressure Mounts for Low-Polling Candidates to Drop Out
The fact that Christie felt ignored reflects the sentiment among some Republicans who believe that GOP primary presidential candidates polling under 10% nationally should end their campaigns before the Iowa caucuses. The argument is that a smaller field would give Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley a better chance to compete with the current front-runner, former President Donald Trump.
In the GOP primary race, Trump leads at a commanding 61%, with DeSantis at 13.5% and Haley at 10.3%, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polls. Meanwhile, candidates like Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Asa Hutchinson are struggling to gain traction, polling at 2.5%, a little under 5%, and less than 1% respectively.
With just over a month until the Iowa caucuses, concerns are growing that none of the five candidates challenging Trump will be able to make a dent in his lead. Anti-Trump GOP donors and strategists are pressuring candidates who seem unlikely to win to drop out and consolidate their support behind a stronger opponent.
“Candidates like Christie, Hutchinson, and Ramaswamy need to follow the lead of Doug Burgum, Tim Scott, and Mike Pence and formally end their campaigns,” said a Republican consultant. “This feels like a repeat of 2016 all over again where Trump benefited from such a large field.”
“These candidates need to drop out now, not after the Iowa caucuses, not after the New Hampshire primary or South Carolina primary, but right the heck now,” the person added.
GOP political consultant Doug Heye believes that Haley could be the party’s best chance at challenging Trump. He expressed that the results in early primary states could be significantly different if some of the low-polling candidates chose to drop out.
“It does matter depending on where their support goes,” Heye explained. “For Vivek, that may just mostly go to Trump. More important would be, you know, none of the Christie vote goes to Trump. So where does it go?”
Christie himself may have provided some insight when he defended Haley against criticism from Ramaswamy, highlighting their long-standing relationship and calling her a “smart, accomplished woman.” Heye believes that Haley is the only candidate who stands a chance against Trump, as DeSantis has been a disappointment and the others lack a clear purpose.
Ramaswamy, on the other hand, is now admitting to voters that he may not be successful in the primary. While he remains optimistic about his chances in the Iowa caucuses, he acknowledges the possibility of not winning the Republican nomination.
Despite the pressure to drop out, Christie shows no signs of winding down his campaign. He has focused his efforts on New Hampshire, where independent voters can participate in the primary. However, if he fails to secure a significant victory in the state, he may reconsider his commitment to continue until the Republican National Convention in July.
Christie’s advisers argue that the same case could be made for any candidate polling behind Trump, as none have been able to break the 20% mark in recent polls. They question whether everyone should drop out or if they should try to defeat the front-runner.
As for Hutchinson, who participated in the first debate but failed to qualify for subsequent ones, he remains determined to offer voters a variety of choices during the Iowa caucuses.
“We’re planning the campaign for Jan. 15 and leading up to that,” Hutchinson said.
As the race intensifies, the fate of these low-polling candidates hangs in the balance, with the hopes of challenging Trump and shaping the future of the GOP.
Click here to read more from The Washington Examiner.
Will establishment Republicans rally behind Haley as a potential contender against Trump?
Nfluential conservatives may support DeSantis, and some establishment Republicans may rally behind Haley.”
Christie’s Struggle to Stand Out
Chris Christie’s struggle to be heard during the debate is emblematic of his overall struggle to stand out in a crowded field of candidates. Despite his experience as governor and his well-known reputation as a tough and decisive leader, he has failed to gain significant momentum in the polls. His position as a moderate Republican in a party that has increasingly moved to the right may also be working against him.
Furthermore, Christie’s past controversies, including the Bridgegate scandal and his close association with former President Trump, have made it difficult for him to appeal to a wider base of Republican voters. While he has tried to distance himself from Trump in recent months, many voters still see him as too closely tied to the former president.
During the debate, Christie made a valiant effort to make his mark, highlighting his experience in handling crisis situations and his record as governor of New Jersey. He also took jabs at his opponents, accusing them of engaging in “Washington speak” and making promises they couldn’t keep. However, his attempts were largely overshadowed by the more vocal and higher-polling candidates on the stage.
Pressure is now mounting for Christie and other low-polling candidates to drop out of the race. Some argue that their continued presence only serves to split the anti-Trump vote, making it more difficult for any single candidate to gain enough support to challenge the former president. They believe that a smaller field would give candidates like DeSantis and Haley a better chance to gain traction and effectively challenge Trump’s dominance.
The Future of the GOP Primary Race
As the Iowa caucuses draw closer, the future of the GOP primary race remains uncertain. While Trump continues to maintain a strong lead in the polls, there is still a possibility for a surprise upset. However, that would require one of the lower-polling candidates to gain significant momentum in the coming weeks.
Whether Christie and others will heed the calls to drop out and unite behind a stronger opponent remains to be seen. In the highly competitive world of presidential politics, the decision to step aside can be a difficult one. But if the goal is to defeat Trump and provide a viable alternative for Republican voters, it may be a necessary sacrifice.
Only time will tell whether Christie’s struggle for attention at the GOP debate will be a turning point in the primary race or simply another moment in a crowded field of candidates. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining the direction of the Republican Party and the 2024 presidential election.
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