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U.S. NEWS A3
Saturday 27 February 2016
Christie endorses Trump in bid for the White House
STEVEN R. HURST deadlock, a slow recovery New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, right, introduced Republican presidential candidate Donald
Associated Press from the Great Recession J. Trump after endorsing him before a rally at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth,
WASHINGTON (AP) — Re- and a fear of terrorism. Texas, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. Christie backed Trump in the Republican race for president Friday,
publican front-runner Don- Rubio has been trying to a powerhouse endorsement as the billionaire tries to beat back assaults on his character from a
ald Trump won the backing position himself as the party newly aggressive rival, Marco Rubio.
Friday of New Jersey Gov. establishment’s candidate,
Chris Christie, himself a but the Christie endorse- (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
former presidential candi- ment suddenly made that
date, in a jolt to one of the more of a challenge.
wildest primary contests in “We don’t need any more
recent memory. of these Washington, D.C.,
Christie is one of the first es- acts,” Christie said of Rubio
tablishment Republicans to at Friday’s announcement.
endorse Trump in a nomi- From the start of Thursday
nating race where many night’s debate, a fiery Ru-
in the party have been bio went hard after Trump,
distressed by the billionaire attacking his position on
New York businessman’s immigration, his privileged
campaign tactics and poli- background, his speaking
cy proposals. style and more.
“I’m happy to be on the Cruz piled on, question-
Trump team and look for- ing the New York busi-
ward to working with him,” nessman’s conservative
Christie said at a Trump credentials. The debate
news conference in Texas. reflected the increasing ur-
Trump shared his reaction gency of their effort to take
when Christie notified his Trump down before he be-
campaign: “I said, ‘Wow, comes unstoppable.
this is really important.’” It was a rare night where
The endorsement is yet Trump found himself on the
more momentum as Trump defensive. The other two
moves into the critical Su- candidates, Ben Carson, a
per Tuesday primary elec- retired neurosurgeon, and
tions next week. John Kasich, the Ohio gov-
It also turns the story away ernor, were largely left to
from the series of brutal watch the fireworks.
rhetorical attacks from Rubio was the principal
Trump’s top opponents in aggressor of the night. Tak-
the party’s tenth debate ing on Trump’s declaration
Thursday night. that he’d build a wall on
The bombastic billionaire’s the Mexican border, Rubio
candidacy has defied all declared: “If he builds a
the rules that normally ap- wall the way he built Trump
ply in the contest for the Tower, he’ll be using illegal
highest office in the United immigration to do it.”
States. Trump repeatedly Trump insisted that even
has made politically incor- though officials in Mexico
rect statements, used salty have said they won’t pay
language and denigrated for his planned wall, “Mex-
Hispanics and Muslims. ico will pay for the wall.”
Nevertheless, he holds a And he said that because
big lead in national polling Mexico’s current and for-
heading into the Tuesday mer presidents had criti-
primaries and a caucus in cized him on the issue, “the
11 states with a treasure of wall just got 10 feet taller.”
595 delegates that could Trump, known for his fre-
make his nomination all but quent use of coarse and
certain. profane language on the
So far, after four prima- campaign trail, also scold-
ry and caucus contests, ed former Mexican Presi-
Trump has 82 delegates, dent Vicente Fox for using
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has a profanity in talking about
17 and Florida Sen. Marco Trump’s plan for the wall.
Rubio has 16. A candidate “He should be ashamed of
must have 1,237 state del- himself and he should apol-
egates to win the Repub- ogize,” declared Trump.
lican nomination at the At a congressional dinner
party’s convention this Thursday night, former Re-
summer. publican candidate and
Trump’s unexpected can- South Carolina Sen. Lindsey
didacy and front-runner Graham derided Trump
status reflect Americans’ and said the party had
anger over government gone “batshit crazy.”q
