What are the odds that Chris Christie will try to run for the Menendez Senate seat as plan B?

[AdamGG]

Democrats will hopefully get a strong candidate in place for the NJ Senate seat quickly. Although I've enjoyed watching him bash Dump, I've always hated Chris Christie. He knew what Trump was when he worked to get him elected in 2016 and 2020. But, Christie is shrewd and opportunistic and must see the NJ Senate seat as an opportunity.

There's very little chance that he can get the Republican Presidential nomination and he must realize that. He may do well enough in the NH primary that he hangs in the Presidential race until Super Tuesday. Would it be too late then for him then to shift to being a Senate candidate? The Republicans may see him as their best chance to pick up the seat and be motivated to keep the spot open for him.

[Maru Kitteh]

1. I doubt it? It's not how he sees himself, a Junior Senator.

Christie sees himself as an executive and a prosecutor, I don't think he has any interest in the nuts and bolts of legislating at all other than how he can take credit for it or blame it on someone else.

Plus: He doesn't need the job, people know who he is.

[hlthe2b]

2. I agree. If Christie can't be "the man in charge," I don't see him wanting to be part of a larger

body--just one Senator among 100.

[AdamGG]

3. Except, he's highly ambitious and this is his best opportunity to advance

Senate seats are often held for multiple terms and it's a rare opportunity to have a seat become available in his home state because the incumbent has imploded.

Is Christie term limited from serving as governor again? He's unlikely to be elected president and he may become less of a relevant figure as the time he served in office becomes something that's further in the past.

All the publicity of the presidential campaign is almost the perfect platform to jump into the Senate race. He has extremely high visibility and it helps him re-establish his bonafides in NJ as a no nonsense centrist by publicly bashing Trump every day. It's possible that his presidential candidacy is more about reviving his political viability in NJ, which got tarnished by the GW bridge scandal and his support of Trump.

He can't win the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 by bashing Trump, but he can publicly put himself on the right side of history and revive his political future in NJ.

Every Senator sees themselves as one step away from the presidency. Christie doesn't want to be a sideline political figure for the rest of his life; he's highly ambitious. I'd be surprised if he doesn't see the Senate seat as a big step forward that he has a much higher chance of achieving than the presidency next year.

[Maru Kitteh]

4. Every senator sees themselves as Prez, but almost no governors see themselves as senators.

Ain' happenin.

[milestogo]

5. ...

Link to tweet

[brooklynite]

6. None whatsoever

[tavernier]

7. Nah.

[DemocraticPatriot]

8. Christie completely ruled that out this morning

on Meet The Press... said he has no interest in being a US Senator.