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Trump said a few weeks ago: I am your retribution. Guess what everybody? No thanks, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said. | John Locher/AP Photo

MANCHESTER, N.H. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie wondered if the Republican field has what it takes to stop former President Donald Trump.

Christie challenged Republicans to find someone who can do to Trump what I did to Marco Rubio a callback to his 2016 debate-stage evisceration of the Republican senator from Florida because thats the only thing thats going to defeat Trump.

You have to be fearless, because he will come back and right at you, Christie said. And that means you need to think about whos got the skill to do that, and whos got the guts to do that, because its not going to end nicely.

Christies former supporters in New Hampshire hope itll be him.

We definitely need somebody strong and optimistic, said Hillary Seeger, a conservative activist who backed Christies 2016 presidential bid. We need to have somebody that can win the primary and the general election.

Christie reunited a group of his New Hampshire backers on Monday night, when he returned to the state for a town hall at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics a prerequisite for any presidential hopeful followed by a private dinner with close friends, former supporters and some donors.

Christie was cagey about whether he is actually running for president again. But if he is hes said a decision could come in 45 to 60 days he spelled out a clear lane for himself as Trumps critic in chief.

Christie doesnt see one in what is shaping up to be the 2024 Republican field.

Theyre going to wriggle right up next to him and say Im almost like him, but Im not quite as bad, Christie said of his would-be rivals. Let me tell you something, everybody. Thats going to lose as certain as he lost in 20, as we lost the House in 18, as we lost the Senate in 21, as we underperformed in 22.

Christie later told reporters that no one has to wonder whether hes got the chutzpah to take on Trump.

But just as Christie puffed up his own abilities, one audience member at Saint Anselm College openly questioned his credentials in that arena. Christie had plenty of opportunities to take down Trump in 2016, before he dropped out after a dismal sixth-place finish in New Hampshires primary, so why didnt he do it then?

Christie chalked his performance in that primary up to strategic error one that he doesnt plan on making again.

Trump said a few weeks ago: I am your retribution. Guess what everybody? No thanks, Christie said. The only person he cares about is him. And if we havent learned that since Election Day 2020 until today, were not paying attention.

Christie also took direct shots at former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hitting the former for not doing more to stand up to Trump and the latter over his mangled forays into foreign policy.

Russias invasion of Ukraine is not a territorial dispute, as DeSantis said in now-walked-back remarks, but an act of authoritarian aggression, Christie said. And the U.S. doesnt have to worry about being dragged into a proxy war with China over Ukraine as DeSantis suggested because were in one.

But even as he jabbed his would-be rivals, Christie also spoke repeatedly of injecting optimism and civility back into politics that these days is defined by anger and retribution.

And his old supporters who gathered in Manchester on Monday consider that to be a selling point for potential presidential candidates like Christie and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, another moderate-leaning Republican considering a run.

You have Trump, and you have the alternative to Trump, former New Hampshire GOP Chair Wayne MacDonald, who chaired Christies 2016 campaign in New Hampshire. Once you start comparing his record in New Jersey with DeSantis record in Florida, youre going to see a much more viable and effective leader than Governor DeSantis is. And I think thats going to enable him to emerge as the alternative to President Trump.

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Christie sees a lane in the GOP primary: Trump destroyer - POLITICO