Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told ABC News’ David Muir on Sunday night that Kamala Harris’ entry into the presidential race would have a big impact.
“This absolutely changes the campaign, David, and I think anyone who says this doesn’t change the campaign doesn’t understand politics,” Christie said. “But here’s the big question: ‘How does it change the campaign?’ And nobody knows. [answer] Not yet. And the reason we don’t is because it depends almost entirely on the performance of these two candidates right now.”
Christie, who ran for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination but withdrew during the primary, said running for president is different from running for vice president.
“[S]”He’s going to be under a different level of scrutiny, a different level of pressure, a different level of expectations for her,” Christie said. “So how will she act, and how will Donald Trump change his approach? He’s not running against 81-year-old Joe Biden now. He’s running against a much younger woman. And that’s going to change things.”
Christie said Harris’s rise to the forefront would force Trump to change his tune.
“When I first ran for governor, David, I ran against a male incumbent Democrat. When I ran for reelection, I ran against a woman. And the pace of that campaign and the way I conducted myself as a male candidate was… [against] “Women candidates have to speak in a slightly different tone,” Christie said. “The question for me is, ‘Can Donald Trump adapt to that, and how will he respond to this new dynamic?’ It’s going to be very interesting to watch over the next few weeks.”
-Jolie Rush for ABC News
