Chris Christie joins 2024 presidential race, says US faces choice between ‘small and big’

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday officially joined the 2024 presidential race.

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Christie filed paperwork to establish his candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, documents show. He later made a formal announcement before an audience in New Hampshire.

Christie makes formal announcement

Update 7:22 p.m. EDT: Chris Christie formally announced his bid for the 2024 presidential race, saying that “it was not a layup that I’d be here” in Manchester, New Hampshire. He added that America faced a choice between “small and big.”

“One question kept going back and back and back, and it was about our country and our future,” Christie said. “Are we gonna be small, or are we gonna be big?”

Christie, 60, whose announcement expanded the field of Republican nominees, said that former President Barack Obama “made us smaller,” and that Obama’s successor, Donald Trump, “made us even smaller.”

The former New Jersey governor also criticized current President Joe Biden for “painting all Republicans with the same brush.”

“The more divided we are, the more likely we are to be dominated,” Christie said.

Christie added that he was far from being the perfect choice for president.

“If you are in search for the perfect candidate, it is time to leave,” Christie said. “True leadership is not pretending to be perfect.”

Christie said that candidates who are afraid to mention Trump could be compared to Voldemort, the villain in the “Harry Potter” novels and movies: “He who shall not be named.”

After speaking for approximately 30 minutes, Christie announced that he was entering the presidential stakes.

“I can’t guarantee you success, but I can guarantee you that at the end of it, you will have no doubt in your mind who I am and what I stand for and whether I deserve it,” Christie said. “That’s why I came back to New Hampshire to tell all of you that I intend to seek the Republican nomination for president of the United States in 2024.”

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Original report: It will mark his second run for the Republican presidential nomination after the 2016 presidential election. He dropped out of the race and later supported the eventual winner, Donald Trump, who went on to serve a term in the White House. Christie later began criticizing Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021, violence at the U.S. Capitol, NPR reported.

He is expected to announce his run Tuesday evening at an event in New Hampshire, The New York Times reported.

His entry comes one day after former Vice President Mike Pence joined the race. Among others who have declared a bid for the GOP nomination are Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.

In April, President Joe Biden announced that he is seeking reelection. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the son of assassinated Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and spiritual adviser Marianne Williamson have also announced runs for the Democratic presidential nomination.