There is recent precedent for that sort of perpetual protest candidacy. In 2016, Bernie Sanders didn’t concede defeat until the Democratic convention in late July, even though by every objective standard Hillary Clinton had clinched the nomination in early June. But it was a very close race that was still contested right up until the final primaries. So perhaps a better analogy for a prospective perma-campaign by Christie would be Ron Paul’s 2012 campaign, which fought for delegates — and threatened to disrupt party harmony — months after Mitt Romney had nailed down the nomination.

  • ivanafterall@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    For awhile there (several years back now), he had the makings of a dominant candidate who could actually appeal to the Rust Belt and southerners alike. He would have been a far superior “no-nonsense, straight-talkin’” alternative to Trump, had Republicans gone that route, while offering many of the same benefits. And his corruption is downright quaint, comparatively.

    This isn’t terribly high praise. I don’t particularly want him as president. But a decade ago, I thought he was surely going places.

    • GentlemanLoser@ttrpg.network
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      1 year ago

      Then he hugged Obama after Hurricane Sandy and that was it for his political prospects. He literally and figuratively embraced the Democrats which is verboten.

      Also the bridge thing and the private beach thing left him pretty unpopular in NJ

    • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      The fact that Rust Belt GOPs would vote for a guy who torpedoed a great public works project that would have employed thousands of hard hats is pretty amazing. TARP would have paid for a much needed New York/New Jersey tunnel. Christie nixed it. He didn’t save the US taxpayer any money, the funds went to other states that didn’t have idiots in change

    • Dkarma@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I agree with this completely. Christie knows trump destroyed Christie’s chance at the presidency. He’ll spend every penny in his presidential chest to kneecap trump at every opportunity.
      He has nothing to lose, he knows he’ll never be President now.