Former Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ), a candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that Republicans made “a mistake” in 2016 by not targeting former President Donald Trump during his first bid for the White House.
After playing a clip of Christie taking a shot at Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) during a GOP primary debate, host Jonathan Karl asked, “Before we get to this race, a quick question about that race. Looking back at all that’s happened since then, do you ever wish that you had taken that swing at Donald Trump and not at Marco Rubio?”
Christie said, “I wish that I had taken swings at both of them, Jon, looking back on it. I think we all made a mistake in 2016 — myself, Marco, Jeb Bush, John Kasich — in not going after Donald Trump.”
He added, “I think we all were under the illusion that somehow what was obvious to us at the moment, that there were better candidates on the stage than him, would be obvious to the public.”
He concluded, “It wasn’t, and I think it should inform everybody’s approach to the race this time. It certainly is informing mine.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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