Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was inadvertently recorded expressing skepticism about former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley's chances against former President Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican primary.
The hot mic incident occurred just before Christie's announcement of the suspension of his 2024 campaign during a campaign event in New Hampshire.
Chris Christie caught trashing Nikki Haley on a hot mic: “She is gonna get smoked. She’s not up to this.” pic.twitter.com/l4HldmXMzT
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) January 10, 2024
In the recording, Christie is heard saying, “She’s gonna get smoked. And you and I both know, and she’s not up to this,” apparently referring to Haley's potential competition with Trump in the upcoming primary.
Although Haley's campaign did not provide a comment on the audio recording, she released a statement shortly after Christie's withdrawal, commending him on his campaign and emphasizing the choice for voters between past chaos and a new generation of conservative leadership.
The hot mic conversation revealed Christie confirming that Haley was still 20 points behind Trump in New Hampshire and expressing confidence that Trump would carry Iowa.
Christie also mentioned receiving a call from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, where he allegedly referred to Haley as a joke and criticized her performance.
In response to the audio, DeSantis's campaign referred to a social media post where the Florida governor agreed with Christie's assessment that Haley is "going to get smoked."
Trump also seized the moment, commenting on Truth Social that Christie was dropping out of the race and highlighting the candid statement captured on the hot mic.
The incident adds a layer of intrigue to the evolving dynamics within the Republican Party as potential candidates position themselves for the 2024 presidential race. The inadvertent recording captured Christie discussing the polling disparities between Haley and Trump, suggesting she was trailing significantly.
He mentioned DeSantis expressing concern about Christie possibly withdrawing from the race and conveyed Christie's critical views of Haley, characterizing her as underperforming and ill-equipped for the challenge.
Christie also highlighted the substantial disparity in campaign spending, noting that Haley had spent $68 million on TV advertisements, DeSantis had spent $59 million, and Christie's campaign had expended $12 million. This financial perspective prompted Christie to question who was effectively leveraging their campaign investments.
Governor DeSantis embraced Christie's assessment on social media, indicating agreement with the notion that Haley was "going to get smoked." Former President Trump seized the opportunity to comment on Truth Social, suggesting a potential reconciliation with Christie and highlighting the authenticity of Christie's remarks captured on the hot mic.
The incident underscores the internal dynamics and strategic considerations within the Republican Party as it navigates the landscape leading up to the 2024 presidential election. The revelations from this hot mic moment may impact perceptions of key figures within the party and contribute to the ongoing conversation about its future direction.
