Former N.J. Gov. Chris Christie announces 2024 presidential run
NEW YORK -- Another local boy has entered the race for president.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced his candidacy during a town hall in New Hampshire on Tuesday evening.
But will it be a campaign or an attempt to extricate his party from the grip of Donald Trump?
"I want to be very clear: I'm going out there to take out Donald Trump and here's why: I want to win," Christie said.
"Who is obsessed with the mirror? Who never admits a mistake? Who never admits a fault and who always finds someone else and something else to blame if something goes wrong and finds everything to take credit for if it goes right? It's Donald Trump," he added.
CBS2's Marcia Kramer was in New Hampshire with Trump and Christie the last time the two met on the field of battle. We all know how it ended in 2016, but this time around what we don't know is which of the two seasoned gladiators will get eaten by the lion when they enter the political colosseum.
The last time Christie was in New Hampshire running for president, he encountered a candidate with a boot on his head named "Vermin Supreme" and a one time reality star, Trump, who booted Christie right out of the race. Pundits say he may want revenge.
"He will be disruptive, Chris Christie will. He will do his best to get under Trump's skin because all this is about is punishing Donald Trump," political consultant Hank Sheinkopf said.
READ MORE: Former N.J. Gov. Chris Christie says Republicans need tough candidate to challenge Donald Trump
Christie was Trump's loyal acolyte during much of Trump's presidency. He even caught a near-fatal case of COVID-19 during debate preps for the 2020 campaign. But he broke with him after the Jan. 6 Capitol riots and his false claims the election was stolen.
"It's over and we need as a party to move forward. We can't be looking backwards. We can't be a party of vindictiveness and vendettas," Christie said back in March.
READ MORE: Vice President Kamala Harris to be a "leading voice" on gun violence heading into the 2024 cycle
Ironically, Christie was talking about Trump during a trip to New Hampshire at the time, not the way he plans to run his 2024 presidential campaign.
"What he's going to do is do what Chris Christie does. He's going to attack, attack, attack, attack, and when his advisors say calm down, he's going to continue attacking," Sheinkopf said.
But the former New Jersey governor has his supporters and detractors. Some are willing to forget the bridge-gate scandal and the embarrassing photo of him and his family enjoying Island Beach State Park when it was closed to the public. Some are not.
"I'm a Jersey boy. He's sort of a Jersey guy and I think that's a good thing," said Jeff Tobias of Englewood.
"I think he's got the experience. He'd be a good fit," another person said.
"Not crazy about it," said Wayne Dumaine of Teaneck. "I've only been in New Jersey for 10 years, But I was not very happy with the laws that he passed and his ideas of how New Jersey should be run."
"I'll support anyone attacking President Trump, but I cannot ... I find Chris Christie appalling. I think his governorship was profoundly destructive to the state of New Jersey," another person added.
It's going to be a crowded field. Former Vice President Mike Pence is expected to announce Wednesday, as will North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
Christie should also remember that only two New Jerseyans have been elected president, and, by the way, there were five from New York.