Christie files presidential campaign paperwork on N.J. Primary Day

It’s also been reported that the ex-governor will also make an announcement in New Hampshire on Tuesday night; meanwhile, back in New Jersey where 7 in 10 Republicans won’t consider him in the 2024 primary, it’s Primary Day. His home state party is grinding out bitter primaries in multiple districts ahead of a potentially late night (or longer) of counting ahead. Thousands of Garden State GOP’ers are casting ballots, knocking doors, and praying for the best candidates to carry the banner forward. The hope? With a slightly more favorable post-redistricting map, Republicans aim to increase their margins in both houses of the legislature or perhaps even flip one of the houses this November.

Christie hasn’t offered the state party much support as of today, and few expect that to change in the weeks and months ahead. If he’s knocked a door? It’s news to me.

I can tell you that Christie’s choice of announcement day was met with annoyance and derision (but no surprise, mind you) by multiple New Jersey candidates and operatives who spoke to me on Primary Day as news of the presidential launch hit the wires.

The lack of surprise, of course, is directly attributable to Christie’s well-documented history of sandbagging his own state party during his time in office (siding with Democrat bosses, could-shouldering South Jersey Republicans, blowing NJGOP funds on national travel, etc.). David Wildstein also pointed out that Christie has the ability to be in New Hampshire today because of the early voter law he opposed as governor (David reports that he voted over the weekend).

Will Chris Christie finish third in New Hampshire this time? Or 13th? Only time will tell.

What’s certain: he’s the same self-centered politician that he was in 2016 when he got blown out by Donald Trump and was forced to make an early exit.

He didn’t care about New Jersey Republicans then. He doesn’t care about them now. The feeling is mostly mutual.