Christie supporters consider who to back now with former New Jersey governor out of the race

Some New Hampshire voters have an unexpected decision to make with less than two weeks to go until the first-in-the-nation primary: who to cast their ballots for on January 23 now that former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has dropped out of the race.

It came as a shock to many of his loyal supporters, who had been urged to attend the event here where Christie, standing in front of an American flag backdrop inside a wedding venue, announced the ending of his campaign

“I can see it from some of the faces here that I’m disappointing some people by doing this, people who believe in our message and believe in what we’ve been doing,” he said.

One of those people was Tom Barton, who had made up his mind months ago that he would support the former New Jersey governor and said he was “very saddened” by the news.

“He said himself that he wasn’t going anywhere,” he said, explaining that he had thought it was possible Christie could drop out after the New Hampshire primary, depending on the outcome.

“If he did poorly in New Hampshire, I would have understood that. I didn’t quite understand that he did it this soon,” he continued.

Assessing his options, Barton says former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is another candidate he could see himself getting behind on January 23 “if she would stand up to Trump more.”

“I’ve gotta see her mentioning him by name,” he said of Haley, who has carefully balanced how she handles criticizing her one-time boss on the campaign trail, a topic that drew Christie’s ire.

Chris Christie speaks in McLean, Virginia, in 2015. The former New Jersey governor has suspended his presidential campaign.

Christie, right, stands with his brother, Todd, in this old photo he posted to Instagram in 2015. Christie was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1962. His family later moved to Livingston, New Jersey, where he attended high school before enrolling at the University of Delaware.

"A friend of mine from high school dug up this old pic - look at that sweater (and hair)!" Christie wrote on Instagram.

Christie met his wife, Mary Pat, at the University of Delaware. Christie posted this picture of them together in 2015, 30 years after it was taken. The two were married in 1986, and they have four children.

While serving as the US attorney for New Jersey from 2002-2008, Christie prosecuted more than 130 public officials for corruption. Here, he speaks to the media about an FBI sting in August 2003.

Christie has makeup applied before a gubernatorial debate with Chris Daggett, center, and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine in October 2009.

Christie greets supporters in Parsippany, New Jersey, after he defeated Corzine in November 2009. He won by nearly four percentage points.

Christie is flanked by his wife and their children as they attend the dedication of Empty Sky, a 9/11 memorial in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 2011.

Christie, center, touches the Western Wall in Jerusalem in April 2012. He was on his first official overseas trip as governor.

Christie takes the stage to deliver the keynote address on the first night of the Republican National Convention in August 2012. During his speech, Christie argued that the American people should focus on ideas rather than rhetoric. He also outlined differences between Republicans and Democrats on governing philosophy while highlighting his bipartisan achievements, such as balancing the state's budget and reforming the pension and health benefit system.

Christie talks to Mitt Romney aboard Romney's campaign bus in October 2012. He was among those vetted to be Romney's running mate, but Romney ultimately went with US Rep. Paul Ryan.

Christie updates the public about damage and recovery efforts related to Hurricane Sandy in October 2012.

Christie greets President Barack Obama, who arrived in New Jersey to visit areas hit by Hurricane Sandy. The two toured devastated beach towns together. "I think the people of New Jersey recognize that (Christie) has put his heart and soul into making sure that the people of New Jersey bounce back even stronger than before. I want to thank him for his extraordinary leadership and partnership," Obama said.

Christie walks with Britain's Prince Harry on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, in May 2013. Harry was on a weeklong US tour.

Christie and Newark Mayor Cory Booker share a laugh during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Newark charter schools in September 2013.

Christie, with his wife, Mary Pat, waves to supporters after winning a second term as governor in November 2013. He defeated his Democratic opponent, Barbara Buono, by more than 20 percentage points.

Christie enters the borough hall in Fort Lee, New Jersey, to apologize to Mayor Mark Sokolich in January 2014. Lane closures had snarled traffic for days at the George Washington Bridge, which connects Manhattan to Fort Lee. It was alleged that Christie's deputy chief of staff signaled for the New York and New Jersey Port Authority to close the lanes to punish Sokolich for not endorsing Christie during the election. Christie said he had no knowledge of any plot to close the lanes. He was never charged in the "Bridgegate" scandal, but two former officials linked to his office, including the deputy chief of staff, were convicted in 2017 of using their power to close the lanes as an act of political revenge. In 2020, the US Supreme Court threw out the fraud convictions.

Demonstrators stand with the word "Bridgegate" spelled out on their shirts as Christie holds a town hall-style meeting in Flemington, New Jersey, in March 2014.

At a March 2014 news conference, Christie speaks to the press about the Fort Lee lane closures. Christie said the chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey had resigned, a day after an internal investigation cleared Christie in the scandal.

Christie campaigns for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker during a stop at the GOP field office in Hudson, Wisconsin, in September 2014.

Larry Hogan, who at the time was running for governor of Maryland, pretends not to hear Christie as he speaks to reporters in Bethesda, Maryland, in October 2014. Christie, as head of the Republican Governors Association, was in Maryland to help Hogan's campaign.

Christie throws to first base during the "True Blue" celebrity softball game held at New York's Yankee Stadium in 2015. The charity event raised money to support the families of fallen New York police officers.

Christie, as a presidential candidate, listens to a question during a campaign stop in Concord, New Hampshire, in January 2016.

Christie meets with diners during a campaign stop in Greenland, New Hampshire, in January 2016.

Christie visits with fellow presidential candidate Donald Trump during a commercial break of a Republican debate in February 2016. From the debate's outset, Christie pestered US Sen. Marco Rubio, left. His relentless attack against Rubio, who was surging in the polls, was one of the memorable takeaways of the night.

Trump and Christie talk at a campaign rally in Hickory, North Carolina, in March 2016. A few weeks earlier, Christie had suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump for president. "There is no one who is better prepared to provide America with the strong leadership that it needs," he said.

Christie delivers a speech on the second day of the Republican National Convention in July 2016. Christie's speech was heavily critical of the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee. "It is our obligation to stop Hillary Clinton now and never let her within 10 miles of the White House again," he said. "It is time to come together and make sure that Donald Trump is our next president. I am proud to be part of this team. Now let's go win this thing."

Christie shakes hands with President Trump at the White House in March 2017. Trump announced that Christie would take on an advisory role to help figure out ways the administration can fight the country's opioid epidemic.

Boxing legend Mike Tyson presents Christie with a belt in April 2017 for the governor's work in helping former prisoners re-enter society.

In July 2017, Christie spends time with family and friends at Island Beach State Park, where the governor has a summer residence. They were the only ones there because two days earlier, Christie shut down the state government after the Legislature failed to pass a budget. All state-run tourist attractions were closed to the public.

Christie leaves after delivering his final State of the State address in January 2018. His second term was just about up.

Christie shakes hands with his successor, Phil Murphy, after Murphy was sworn in as governor in January 2018.

Christie arrives for a news conference at the White House in September 2020. The next month, he was among a group of senior Trump campaign staffers who tested positive for Covid-19 after the president did. Christie said he spent seven days in an intensive care unit, and he wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed with the headline "I Should Have Worn a Mask."

Christie greets students before a college basketball game in Providence, Rhode Island, in 2022.

Christie poses for a selfie after a town hall-style meeting in Henniker, New Hampshire, in April 2023.

Christie waves to people in Manchester, New Hampshire, as he announces his presidential run in June 2023.

Christie participates in a CNN town hall event hosted by Anderson Cooper in New York in June 2023.

Christie visits Kfar Aza, Israel, in November 2023. He was the first Republican presidential candidate to visit the country following the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Christie announces he is dropping out of the presidential race during a town-hall event in Windham, New Hampshire, in January 2024.

In pictures: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie

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The former New Jersey governor told his supporters, “Anyone who is unwilling to say that he is unfit to be president of the United States is unfit themselves to be president of the United States,” alluding to a criticism he previously lobbed at Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Still, it’s clear Haley is likely to be the biggest beneficiary of Christie’s exit. She has pulled within single digits of Trump in the Granite State, according to a new CNN Poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire.

The survey found that 65% of Christie supporters – 12% of the total – listed Haley as their second choice.

Among that group is Chris Pease, a Christie supporter who now says he thinks Haley is “the best pathway to helping the country move forwards from Trump.”

Reflecting on Christie’s Wednesday night announcement, Pease said, “The timing was right.”

He had already had his concerns about effectively defeating the GOP front-runner, posing to Christie at a town hall in Hooksett the possibility of joining Haley’s ticket as vice president before the New Hampshire primary to “better serve the anti-Trump vote.”

“I would have more inclination to do that if Nikki would speak out against Trump, but she doesn’t,” Christie answered at the time, accusing Trump’s former UN ambassador of “playing for 2028.”

In the final stretch before the first-in-the-nation primary, Pease is encouraged that Haley has time now to reach out to the two-thirds of Christie supporters who are considering her.

“That’s a big step. All of those little steps that she’s taken so far maybe move the needle a little bit, but the needle has just moved by a big jump now,” he said.

However, Haley might not be able to move that needle with some loyal Christie supporters.

New Hampshire state Rep. Wayne MacDonald, who served as Christie’s campaign chairman in the Granite State, said it might take until election day for him to make his decision, but firmly declared on Wednesday, “I’m not going with Nikki Haley.”

“As Gov. Christie has said, she has pandered to Donald Trump,” he said, adding later that it was “highly unlikely” he could be convinced to support Haley.

Catherine Johnson, a volunteer for the campaign, said she respects Haley, but will not vote for her. She identifies politically as a Democrat, but is an undeclared voter and planned on voting for Christie in the primary because “he believes in the idea of working across the aisle.”

“I’m going to go work for the Democrats starting tomorrow,” she said after Christie left the room on Wednesday night.