Former NJ Gov. Christie Running For President

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is running for president in the Republican primary, according to paperwork he filed Tuesday.

The documents filed by Christie come ahead of a planned evening town hall event in New Hampshire.

Christie served as New Jersey governor from 2010 to 2018.

The former governor and national political figure is making his announcement just hours before former Vice President Mike Pence will announce a bid for the presidency.

Christie enters a crowded primary field that already includes former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Senator Tim Scott, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and former United Nations Ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

While governor, Christie considered a run for office in 2012, but he opted not to run. He did run in 2016, but left the race after coming in sixth place in the New Hampshire primary election.

Over his career, Christie, a former prosecutor, gained a reputation for his hard charging and tenacious attitude. He rarely shied away from confrontation in the spotlight.

Christie’s friendship with Trump soured in recent years and reporting indicates Christie believes he can challenge the former showman who turned to politics.

The former governor has blamed Trump for the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“We keep losing and losing and losing,” Christie said at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership conference in 2022, according to CNN. “The reason we’re losing is because Donald Trump has put himself before everybody else.”