Christie a Distant Third in N.H., Despite Focus on State

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has staked his presidential campaign’s viability on a strong performance in New Hampshire, but his focus on the Granite State does not appear to be paying off, as he is polling a distant third there.

According to the RealClearPolitics average, former President Donald Trump has a commanding lead in New Hampshire with 46.3% support, while former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is solidly in second place at 24.8%. Christie is far behind in third place with the backing of only 10.5%.

There does not appear to be a hidden reservoir of support for Christie either, according to the New York Post, which did not find much backing for him at an appearance at the Sea Dog Brewing Company in Exeter, about 30 miles east of Manchester, the state’s largest city.

Most of the dozen or so residents who attended the event didn’t express much enthusiasm for Christie, instead stating they were either “open” to backing him or had other preferred candidates.

However, a few attendees did say they liked Christie’s no-BS image.

“You can trust what he says. He calls it like he sees it, versus making things up like other people,” local Steve Johnson told the New York Post.

“At least he’s trying to speak the truth, it sounds like,” said registered Democrat David Doyon, who added that he would consider voting for Christie if he made the general election. “He’s saying the things that have to be said, so I give him a lot of credit.”

The former governor has branded himself as being the No. 1 anti-Trump candidate in the race, and has criticized his rivals for refusing to directly criticize the former president.

Christie is “angry, but at least he’s angry for the right reasons,” Doyon said. “All the rest of them are just angry for the sake of being angry.”

Although Christie has called for Democrats to consider voting for him in New Hampshire, the deadline to change party registration in the state was Oct. 6.

But independents or those otherwise unaffiliated can vote in either party’s primary on Jan. 23.