Charles Krupa/AP; Scott Eisen/Getty Images
- Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dropped out of the presidential election on Wednesday.
- Christie struggled to catch fire with a fiercely anti-Trump message.
- In the end, few prominent Trump opponents remain in the GOP.
Chris Christie's Glory Days seem long gone. The pugnacious former New Jersey governor boss had one last card to play when he ran for president for the second time.
Once one of President Donald Trump's most prominent early backers, Christie emerged from an almost death (COVID, not January 6, that's Mike Pence) and the Capitol riot as a man who had seen the light — Trump was a fundamental threat who needed to be stopped, Christie professed. Christie carried his warnings as far as a podcast hosted by former top aides to President Barack Obama. It didn't work. According to multiple reports, Christie dropped out of the race Wednesday night.
The reality is now abundantly clear to anyone who wants to see it: The Republican base has little love for any GOP official who wants to lead the charge against the former president. Even Pence, who struggled to even describe how angry he was that Trump endangered his life, couldn't sell his candidacy. So it's no surprise that Christie's signature art of aggressiveness didn't make the product more popular. This is Trump's party.
Minus jokes about Christie's weight, Trump barely commented on his former ally's candidacy. And despite Christie's repeated trolls, Trump never delighted him in agreeing to appear on the debate stage.
Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah bared all to his biographer before calling it a career. Liz Cheney suffered a blowout loss as she was drummed out of power. Paul Ryan left the Capitol for the easier life of a former speaker and Fox News board member. Ben Sasse returned to academia. Adam Kinzinger left Congress too.
Whether they were former presidential nominees or just a new member of Congress who couldn't abide a president inciting a riot, Trump and his allies have with surgical precision primaried them, silenced them, or forced them to demonstrate a show of loyalty.
For those lucky or cunning enough to stay in power (Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp), their defiance of the former president could easily increase their popularity. Unfortunately for Christie, losing a primary to win a general election failed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the original anti-Trump Republican, and didn't work for Christie either.
Christie's fortunes changed rapidly. In 2011, influential Iowa Republicans begged him to run for president. He declined. But just two years later, Christie romped to reelection in a traditionally blue state. His presidential chances soared. Then, Bridgegate happened. Christie may never have fully recovered. And then, in two straight presidential cycles, Christie decided to bet his hopes on New Hampshire. This time around, the former New Jersey governor practically snubbed the home of the first-in-the-nation caucuses.
Fear not though, there is a place where anti-Trump Republicans are Born to Run. Just look for them in the nearest cable TV news greenroom.