Former GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie, a fierce critic of ex-President Donald Trump, on Sunday said he “can’t see” himself voting for President Joe Biden, adding that he wants to wait for the final list of contenders before he makes a choice.
“I can’t see myself voting for him because I don’t agree with his policies, and I have serious questions about his competence to serve another four years. So, do I rule it out? I can’t imagine doing it,” Christie said of Biden on NBC’s “Meet The Press.”
At the same time, Christie said he wouldn’t vote for former President Donald Trump “under any circumstances.”
But when pressed as to whether not voting for Biden would essentially help propel Trump to victory, the former New Jersey governor disagreed, saying Americans may have a third-party candidate to consider in this election.
“I’ll wait to see the complete field before I make my judgment,” he added.
There’s been speculation that Christie could be the candidate to lead the centrist No Labels group third-party ticket in November.
But Christie said No Labels hasn’t spoken to him or anyone from his campaign so far before adding that he needs to see a path to victory to potentially rejoin the race.
“No one knows what’s going to happen as we go forward,” he told NBC’s Kristen Welker. “I’ve said this: Someone would have to see a path to 270 electoral votes to do it. And you know I haven’t even taken a look at that. Like you said, I’ve only been out of this for a month.”
NBC News previously reported that No Labels reached out to Christie’s allies and donors before he exited the Republican presidential primary to inquire about whether he would be interested in a potential offer by them.
No Labels is currently working to get on 2024 voting ballots across the U.S., adding that they may put forward “a Unity presidential ticket if the American people demand it,” according to their website.
Nancy Jacobson, the group’s CEO, has previously said they would prefer a moderate Republican as their candidate,according to The New York Times.
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who resigned as co-chair of No Labels late last year, announced he is running for the Senate Friday, essentially ending speculation that he would likely run for president on the group’s third-party ticket.
Christie, who exited the Republican primary ahead of the Iowa caucuses, saying he didn’t see a path to the nomination, was one of Trump’s sharpest critics in that contest.
“I am going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump to ever be president of the U.S. again,” he said at the time, “and that is more important than my own personal ambition.”
