Chris Christie Struggling to Win Over New Hampshire Republicans in GOP Race

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, has been facing an uphill battle in his quest for support from New Hampshire Republicans as the 2024 presidential race heats up. Despite launching his presidential campaign in the Granite State and investing considerable time there, a recent New Hampshire Journal/coefficient poll reveals that 46% of likely GOP primary voters in New Hampshire would never vote for Christie under any circumstances, according to a report in the New York Post. This sentiment puts him at the top of the “never vote” list, alongside other prominent Republicans like Mike Pence, Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, and Ron DeSantis.

The Post also reported that the poll underscores the continued dominance of Donald Trump in the Republican primary field. Trump, at 77 years old, enjoys a commanding lead with 47% support, while DeSantis comes in second with 13%. Christie trails behind with 9%, followed by Pence, Haley, Ramaswamy, and Senator Tim Scott, each receiving 3% support. According to the Post report, a notable 5% of Granite State Republicans express a preference for another candidate, and 10% remain undecided. In a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, Trump leads DeSantis by a significant margin of 49% to 23%, with 28% of respondents undecided.

Coefficient CEO Ryan Munce points out that Trump continues to demonstrate strength and invulnerability in the Republican primary field, enjoying a 34% lead over his closest challenger. The Post reported that the poll indicates that 45% of New Hampshire Republicans are firmly aligned with Trump, while 26% would support any other candidate except Trump for the party’s nomination. Furthermore, 29% of respondents express a liking for the former president but remain unsure if he should be the GOP standard-bearer.

Despite being arraigned on 37 federal counts related to alleged mishandling of classified documents, Trump maintains strong backing from New Hampshire Republicans. Only 23% of respondents believe he is “clearly guilty and deserves to be punished,” while 35% contend that he “did not do anything wrong and should not be punished.” The Post reported that an additional 42% express uncertainty regarding whether Trump broke the law but believe he is being prosecuted solely because he is Donald Trump. Interestingly, the indictment seems to have bolstered Trump’s support, with 42% of respondents stating that it made them more likely to back the former president, while 43% reported no impact. Only 15% claim the case made them less likely to support him.

Trump continues to enjoy a strong favorability rating among New Hampshire GOP voters, standing at 60%. In contrast, only 29% hold an unfavorable view of him, and 11% are undecided. As was reported by the Post, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, maintains a 46% favorability rating, with 33% holding an unfavorable view and 20% remaining unsure.

 

A plurality (43%) of New Hampshire Republicans view Trump as the only Republican capable of defeating President Biden in the 2024 election. Meanwhile, 24% believe he would lose to the 80-year-old incumbent. The Post also reported that another 22% are uncertain about Trump’s chances, and 11% believe his performance would be similar to any other GOP candidate.