Chris Christie, the GOP presidential candidate, said that Republicans who do not make it to the debate stage in 2024 should withdraw from the race. Christie said that it was “time to go” for candidates who had not made the stage of the GOP presidential debate in Milwaukee.
So far, eight candidates in the crowded GOP field have met the Republican National Committee’s criteria to participate in debates. Those candidates are Christie, former President Donald Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
Christie suggested that Republican presidential candidates like Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Larry Elder, as well as former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and former Texas congressman Will Hurd, drop out.
DeSantis Ramaswamy and Haley are the only candidates who have signed the Republican National Committee’s pledge to support any eventual Republican nominee. Candidates who fail to sign this pledge will not be allowed to participate in RNC-sanctioned debates. Trump has said that he will not sign the pledge, and has floated skipping the RNC debates.
Christie attacked Trump for suggesting that he would not attend the debates. Christie said that Trump would be a coward if he missed the debates and that the former president was “particularly afraid of standing on the stage with me.”
In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Christie stated that the debate was “important for me and all other candidates.” This will be the largest audience that any of us has spoken to in a very long time. It is important that people get to know you. They need to know what you stand for, who you are, and what you plan to do for your party and country. “That’s what I plan to do in the next two weeks.”
Christie made a blunt recommendation for GOP candidates who were struggling to reach the debate stage. “If you do not make it to the debate stage, then you should quit the race. It’s really that simple.” “That’s the first step in winnowing.”
Christie cited the RNC’s criteria for making the debate stage, such as meeting financial and polling requirements. “I think these objectives were fair ones to reach, to be able to get on the stage. And if you haven’t made the stage. I think it’s time to go.”
The first GOP primary debate will take place at Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee on August 23.
