Chris Christie suspended his 2024 presidential campaign on Tuesday, Jan, 9, 2024. At a town hall event in Windham, New Hampshire, Christie said, “It’s clear to me tonight that there isn’t a path to me to win the nomination which is why I’m suspending my campaign tonight for president of the United States.”
For Christie’s positions on the issues covered by ProCon.org during his candidacy, click here.
Chris Christie, Former Governor
of New Jersey
Candidacy announced: June 5, 2023
Source: Office of Gov. Chris Christie
Personal Life
Full Name: Christopher James Christie
Birthdate: Sep. 6, 1962
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey
Marital Status: married to Mary Pat Foster, investment banker and former First Lady of New Jersey
Children:
- Andrew, Assistant Director of Player Development at New York Mets
- Sarah, Account Manager at Genesco Sports Enterprises
- Patrick, recent graduate of Providence College
- Bridget, student at University of Notre Dame
Religion: Catholic
Pets: none found
Career, Education, & Publications
Career Highlights:
- Member, Board of Directors, New York Mets, Mar. 2021-present
- Founder, Christie 55 Solutions (federal lobbying firm), 2018-present
- Contributor, ABC News, Jan. 2018-present
- Chair, Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission, Trump Administration, Mar. 29, 2017 – Nov. 1, 2017
- Governor, New Jersey, Jan. 19, 2010-Jan. 16, 2018
- U.S. District Attorney, New Jersey, Jan. 17, 2002-Dec. 1, 2008
- Officer, Christie Family Foundation, 1999-2001
- Director, Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders, 1997-1998
- Member, Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders, 1994-1998
- Partner, Dughi, Hewit & Palatucci, 1993-2001
- Associate, Dughi, Hewit & Palatucci, 1987-1993
Education:
- JD, Seton Hall University School of Law, 1987
- BA, political science, University of Delaware, 1984
Select Publications:
- Republican Rescue, 2021
- Let Me Finish, 2019
Internet & Social Media Presence
Campaign Website:
Facebook:
Instagram:
Linkedin:
- none found
Should the Use of Private Prisons Continue?
Not Clear
“Look at what we’ve done in New Jersey, it’s the same thing we would do there. The prison population has gone down and that means everybody wins. Public or private prisons, our population has gone down 31% total in the 5 ½ years that I’ve been governor. It’s the same kinda thing in the United States. We incarcerate too many people.”
American Friends Service Committee Iowa, “People Over Private Prison Lobbyists, Says Gov. Chris Christie,” youtube.com, Aug. 25, 2015
Should the U.S. Require Universal Background Checks for Gun Purchases?
CON
“I don’t support background checks for every gun sale.”
Claude Brodesser-Akner, “Christie Just Said What about Universal Background Checks for Guns?,” nj.com, Jan. 18, 2026
Should the Death Penalty Be Legal?
PRO
“I’ve always believed that the death penalty is appropriate, and the reason it’s appropriate is because it’s an act of self-defense.”
Editors’ Note: The death penalty was abolished in New Jersey in 2007 by Christie’s predecessor, Governor John Corzine.
New York Times, “Chris Christie on the Death Penalty,” nytimes.com, Sep. 25, 2015
Should Recreational Marijuana Be Legal?
Not Clear
“States have the right to do what they want to do on this.”
Editors’ Note: Christie previously stated that he would override state laws that legalize marijuana: “If you’re getting high in Colorado today, enjoy it until January 2017, because I will enforce the federal laws against marijuana as president of the United States.”
Kyle Jaeger, “Chris Christie Finally Recognizes Marijuana Legalization As States’ Rights Issue,” marijuanamoment.net, Oct. 22, 2018
Source for Editors’s Note: Tom Davis, “Watch: Christie: ‘If You’re Getting High In Colorado, Enjoy It…,’” patch.com, July 30, 2015
Should Public Sector Employees Have the Right to Unionize?
No position as of Oct. 17, 2023.
Should Washington, DC, Be Granted U.S. Statehood?
CON
“I’m not someone that’s given this a lot of thought, but I’ll give you my gut reaction. My gut reaction is I don’t see how adding another member of Congress will help.”
Ryan Lovelace, “Chris Christie: Gut Reaction Is to Oppose D.C. Statehood,” washingtonexaminer.com, Oct. 12, 2015
Should the U.S. Become Socialist?
CON
“We [Republicans] have to call out Joe Biden and the members of the Democratic congress, who are doing two major things at the same time. They’re not telling the truth to the American people and the reason they’re not telling the truth to the American people is because they’re trying to absolutely impose a socialist agenda, which they know the American people, if identified as such, would not support under any circumstances.”
Paul Steinhauser, “Hours before Biden’s Speech, Christie Accuses President of Lying to Hide ‘Socialist Agenda,’” foxnews.com, Apr. 28, 2021
Should the Federal Minimum Wage Be Increased?
CON
“[Employees being replaced with automated kiosks is] the way of the future if we continue to do this really radical increase with the minimum wage…. All of this sounds great, raising the minimum wage, when you’re spending someone else’s money. It should bother you because when you come into Pennington Quality Market [New Jersey grocery store] your food is going to be more expensive…. This type of heavy hand of government, to say that we know better than the people who actually run these businesses, is the reason why in past administrations New Jersey has gotten less and less affordable. This measure is a complete pander to folks who are uninformed because they neither receive the minimum wage or pay it.”
Editors’ Note: Christie made the above remarks after vetoing a bill that would have raised New Jersey’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.
Matt Arco, “Christie Vetoes $15 an Hour Minimum Wage Bill Pushed by N.J. Democrats,” nj.com, Aug. 30, 2016
Should the U.S. Implement a Universal Basic Income (UBI)?
No position as of Oct. 27, 2023.
Should the Federal Government Pay Reparations to the Descendants of Enslaved People?
No position as of Oct. 17, 2023.
Should Public College Be Tuition-Free?
CON
“That is a typical liberal approach. It is wrong, and we know it. There are always costs involved, and if college graduates are going to reap the greater economic rewards and opportunities of earning a degree, then it seems fair for them to support the cost of the education they’re receiving. Earning a degree should actually involve earning it.”
Allie Bidwell, “Chris Christie’s No Fan of Free College,” usnews.com, June 11, 2015
Should Parents or Other Adults Be Able to Ban Books from Schools and Libraries?
Not Clear
“I think both sides suffer from this malady that somehow a governor understands better what should be available to a child than their own mother or father. So, you know, my view on this is that when it goes beyond that, and in some instances it has, that’s a problem. And it’s wrong…. I think [who should be in charge of education is] the core of the issue. And I think we need to resolve that issue. And my view would be that we need to resolve in favor of parents.”
Sudiksha Kochi, “Chris Christie Slams Culture Wars, Says Government Is Not ‘A Better Parent than Parents,’” usatoday.com, July 21, 2023
Should Any Amount of Student Loan Debt Be Eliminated via Forgiveness or Bankruptcy?
CON
“[Student loan debt forgiveness] does nothing to control college costs. The reason people have higher loans is because college is more expensive. This does not make college less expensive. It makes it more expensive, when you’re giving away things.”
Annie Nova, “Here’s Where the Republican Presidential Candidates Stand on Student Loan Forgiveness,” cnbc.com, Aug. 24, 2023
Should Voters Be Required to Show Photo Identification to Vote?
No position as of Oct. 17, 2023.
Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16?
Not Clear
Editors’ Note: Christie vetoed a 2015 bill that would have allowed 17-year-olds in New Jersey to vote in primary elections as long as they turned 18 in time for the general election.
Source for Editors’ Note: Brent Johnson, “Letting 17-Year-Olds Vote in N.J. Primary Elections Is Getting a New Push. Christie Once Vetoed It.,” nj.com, May. 12, 2023
Should the Federal Government Intervene to Lower Prescription Drugs Costs?
PRO
“Congress and the Administration have an opportunity to demand greater PBM [pharmacy benefit manager] transparency and pass-through of negotiated savings to patients at the pharmacy counter. They can ensure that patients aren’t bearing the burden for soaring PBM profits. States like Texas are leading the way, but it’s time for the federal government to join in to reduce prescription drug spending for all.”
Editors’ Note: Pharmacy benefit managers negotiate rebates and savings on behalf of health insurance companies, Medicare Part D drug plans, large employers, and other groups. These agreements, however, are generally not publicly disclosed so actual cost savings to patients are unknown.
Chris Christie, “Opinion: Reforms Will Lower Prescription Drug Costs for Patients and Taxpayers,” statesman.com, Oct. 12, 2022
Not Clear
“This should be determined by the 50 states. The issue of abortion’s not in the Constitution. And the Constitution says if it’s not explicitly said here, this power reverts to the states. I would not be for the federal government being involved in the issue of abortion in any way. I believe the states should make the decisions.”
Bridget Bowman, “Chris Christie: On the Issues,” nbcnews.com, June 7 , 2023
Should the U.S. Continue Constructing a U.S./Mexico Border Wall?
Not Clear
“My first action as President: Sign an executive order to send the National Guard to our southern border. Trump told everyone that he was going to build us a ‘big beautiful wall’ and that Mexico was going to pay for it. We got 52 miles of new wall and haven’t received a single peso from Mexico. This disaster at the border is just as much his fault as it is Joe Biden’s.”
Chris Christie, twitter.com, Sep. 26, 2023
Should the U.S. Maintain Birthright Citizenship?
Not Clear
Editors’ Note: Christie voiced opinions both in favor of and against birthright citizenship within 11 days during his 2016 presidential campaign.
“[Birthright Citizenship is] in the Constitution. And I don’t think that we should be looking to change it.”
“I think all this stuff needs to be reexamined in light of the current circumstances. [Birthright citizenship] may have made sense at some point in our history, but right now, we need to re-look at all that.”
Rebecca Kaplan, “Chris Christie Calls Donald Trump’s Immigration Plan ‘Too Simplistic,’” cbsnews.com, Aug. 23, 2015
Emily Atkin, “Why Chris Christie Says We Should ‘Reexamine’ the 14th Amendment,” archive.thinkprogress.com, Aug. 12, 2015
Should the U.S. Government Provide a Path to Citizenship for Undocumented Immigrants?
CON
“Megyn Kelly: On the subject of immigration, are you for a path to citizenship?
Chris Christie: I think that’s an extreme way to go and I think that quite frankly what Hillary Clinton is doing right now is pandering. That’s pandering… So no, I don’t believe that’s the way to go and I don’t believe that’s where people are…
Megan Kelly: So you say now that you are not for a path to citizenship, but back in 2010 you said on This Week that you were. What changed?
Chris Christie: I think I’ve learned over time about this issue and done a lot more work on it… What I’m saying now is that I think we’ve got to come up with a solution for it, but I think just immediately going to a path to citizenship as Hillary Clinton is proposing to do is just pandering, it’s just politics.”
Editors’ Note: Christie was previously in favor of a path to citizenship: “The president and the Congress have to step up to the plate, they have to secure our borders and they have to put forward a commonsense path to citizenship for people. And until they do that, states are going to struggle all over the country with this problem and so is federal law enforcement that doesn’t have the resources to do it effectively.”
The Kelly File, Fox News, May 18, 2015
Source for Editors’ Note: Chris Christie, “In Case You Missed It: Video & Transcript of Governor Christie’s Interview with Jake Tapper on ABC’s ‘This Week,’” nj.gov, July 26, 2010
Is Artificial Intelligence Good for Society?
PRO
“What I think artificial intelligence offers us is an extraordinary opportunity to expand well beyond the productivity that we have now,” he said. He rightly added: “We can’t be afraid of innovation. America has been the great innovator of this world over the last 250 years, a technological innovator, a manufacturing innovator, and a freedom and governmental innovator. And that’s why America has to continue to stand strong in the world, pro-innovation [and] pro-progress…. What I will do is to make sure that every innovator in this country gets the government the hell off its back and out of its pocket so that it can innovate and bring great new inventions to our country that will make everybody’s lives better.”
Ronald Bailey, “Chris Christie for Robots and Tech Progress,” reason.com, Sep. 27, 2023