(NewsNation) — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is challenging former President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination.
“What I know, because I’ve known him for 22 years, is I am so in his head. What’s he doing talking about me? It’s because now I’m in second place in New Hampshire,” Christie said.
A new poll shows Christie’s brash style could be paying off. Trump is widely leading the 2024 GOP field in New Hampshire, but a NH Journal/co-efficient poll released Monday shows Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Christie tied for second. Trump received 43 percent in New Hampshire; Christie and DeSantis tied next in second place at 9 percent.
Christie is taking a new approach in New Hampshire by touring mental health and rehab clinics during the day.
“My role as president would be to make sure that we make everybody in this country understand that substance abuse disorder, mental health … are diseases that can be treated the same way (as) heart disease, diabetes and cancer,” Christie said.
The strategy appears to be working.
“This is a small state, you can spend very little money compared to other states. You can really work it here, and you can win. And so I think it’s a smart strategy on his behalf,” said Neil Levesque, director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
Inn fact, he said, New Hampshire is Christie’s best chance at closing the gap with the former president.