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U.S. NEWSThursday 11 February 2016
Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina end 2016 White House bids
Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina attends a campaign event at Maple Avenue JILL COLVIN bitions.
Elementary School in Goffstown, N.H. Fiorina ended her 2016 White house bid on Wednesday, Associated Press Christie racked up a long
February 10, 2016 after a disappointing showing at New Hampshire’s primary. NASHUA, New Hampshire list of notable endorse-
(AP) — New Jersey Gov. ments from state legislative
(AP Photo/David Goldman) Chris Christie dropped out leaders in New Hampshire.
of the Republican nomi- At the end of 2015, he ap-
nation for president on peared to be breaking into
Wednesday, a day after his the top tier after a video
disappointing sixth-place of him discussing a friend’s
finish in New Hampshire’s struggle with drug addic-
primary. tion went viral.
Campaign spokeswoman The terrorist attacks in Paris
Samantha Smith said Chris- and San Bernardino in par-
tie shared his decision with ticular played to Christie’s
staff at his campaign head- advantage, allowing him
quarters in Morristown, New to talk about his previous
Jersey, late Wednesday af- job as a U.S. attorney and
ternoon, and was calling play up his law-and-order
donors and other support- credentials.
ers. And a commanding per-
Christie on Tuesday night formance during the last
told supporters he was Republican debate be-
heading home to New fore the New Hampshire
Jersey to “take a deep primary earned him strong
breath,” await the final tally reviews.
of results from New Hamp- But with a field filled with
shire and decide what to numerous other options, in-
do next. He said he was cluding current and former
leaving New Hampshire governors and senators,
“without an ounce of re- Christie never consolidat-
gret,” but spoke of his cam- ed support, despite being
paign in the past tense at praised by both fans and
one point and canceled a rivals as one of the Republi-
Wednesday event in next- can Party’s best communi-
to-vote South Carolina. cators.
Christie dropped out of the Christie may have missed
race the same day that a better chance at the
Carly Fiorina announced White House four year ago,
on social media that she, when some of his party’s
too, was calling it quits. Fio- most powerful statesmen
rina, the former chief exec- and donors begged him
utive of Hewlett-Packard, to run in 2012. But Chris-
won just 4 percent of the tie declined, saying that
vote in New Hampshire. he didn’t feel like he was
Christie had 7 percent. ready.
But Tuesday’s result ap- Christie’s aggressive po-
peared to be the final blow litical team worked to rack
for a candidate whose up endorsements and
campaign saw glimmers wide victory margins in his
of hope at times, but had re-election bid for gover-
trouble from the get-go nor as a springboard for
raising money and build- 2016. At the same time, his
ing support in a crowded aides took their game of
Republican field dominat- doling out political favors
ed by another brash East and punishments too far,
Coaster, businessman Don- leading to one of the most
ald Trump. dumbfounding political
While Trump posed a chal- scandals in recent memo-
lenge to the entire Repub- ry. Aides purposely created
lican field, his dominance traffic jams in the town of
seemed especially dam- Fort Lee to punish the may-
aging to Christie, who had or, who chose not to en-
branded himself the “tell- dorse Christie’s re-election.
ing it like it is” candidate. While Christie first laughed
When he returns home to off the suggestion that his
finish his second term as team had anything to do
governor, Christie will face with the plot, the denials
a slew of unsolved prob- quickly unraveled follow-
lems and rock-bottom ing the release of emails,
approval ratings from resi- including one from a top
dents who, polls show, feel aide that read, “Time for
he neglected New Jersey some traffic problems in
to pursue his national am- Fort Lee.”q
