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AP

Former US governor Chris Christie launches presidential bid in 'direct challenge' to Trump

Christie has cast himself as the only candidate in the field willing to directly take on former president Donald Trump.

FORMER NEW JERSEY governor Chris Christie has filed paperwork formally launching his bid for the Republican nomination for US president ahead of a town hall event in New Hampshire.

Christie has cast himself as the only candidate in the field willing to directly take on former president Donald Trump.

The campaign will be the second for the former governor and federal prosecutor, who lost to Trump in 2016 and went on to become a close on-and-off adviser before breaking with the former president over his refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election.

Christie enters a growing primary field that already includes Trump, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley and US Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina.

Former vice president Mike Pence will be formally launching his own campaign in Iowa tomorrow.

embeddedcef42926ea6d403183b2a49b9cc0f4fc Chris Christie, centre, poses for a selfie after a town hall-style meeting at New England College in April in Henniker, New Hampshire Charles Krupa Charles Krupa

Christie, who during his time as New Jersey’s governor established a reputation as a fighter with a knack for creating viral moments of confrontation, faces an uphill battle to the nomination in a party that remains closely aligned with the former president, despite  Trump’s re-election loss in 2020.

Christie has cast himself as the only person with the guts to take on Trump directly and has warned of a repeat of 2016 if candidates fail to confront him.

“I’m not dumb. The way to win is to beat the guy who’s ahead. And so what would a campaign look like? A campaign would look like a direct frontal challenge to Donald Trump trying to return to the presidency,” Christie recently said in a podcast interview.

Anti-Trump Republicans are particularly eager to see Christie spar with Trump on a debate stage – if, of course, Trump agrees to participate in primary debates and Christie meets the stringent fundraising criteria set by the Republican National Committee for participation.

But Christie has also said he would not run as a kamikaze candidate to take down Trump if he did not believe there was a viable path to his own victory.

“I’m not a paid assassin,” he recently told Politico.

embedded8d359af256674bb1863e7160f9c06f6e The Republican party remains closely aligned with Donald Trump Charlie Neibergall / AP Charlie Neibergall / AP / AP

His campaign will test the appetite among Republican voters for someone who has expressed support for many of Trump’s policies but has criticised the former president’s conduct.

Christie has rejected Trump’s lies that the 2020 election was stolen and has urged the party to move on or risk future losses.

Other Republicans with similar views, including former Maryland governor Larry Hogan and New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu, have opted against their own campaigns, expressing concerns that having more candidates in the race will only benefit Trump.

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 18th 2025, 3:30 PM

    Seems like the only ones the government feels responsible to is this Lowry group and not the general public

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    Mute thomas molloy
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    May 18th 2025, 7:17 PM

    @JoeJoe Kilbride: Elected politicians are supposed to interact. This is another case of the news media trying to create distrust of politicians as trust in the media is fast declining. They foster angst when normal essential political activity is boringly getting on with the job.

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 18th 2025, 8:10 PM

    @thomas molloy: it would appear that this small group has greater access to cabinet members than their own colleagues on the backbenches.

    108
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    Mute James Leahy
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    May 18th 2025, 3:30 PM

    The innocent face of that Troy lad .Must be a wonderful feeling to own all those properties in the midst of a housing crisis.

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    Mute James Leahy
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    May 18th 2025, 3:35 PM

    @John doe: doh! No.

    238
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    Mute Joe Beirne
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    May 18th 2025, 3:36 PM

    @John doe: You should try it

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    Mute Jack Hayes
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    May 18th 2025, 3:42 PM

    @John doe: You can’t rent the space under bridges, pīg troll.

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    Mute Joe Beirne
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    May 18th 2025, 3:43 PM

    @John doe: You can prove nothing, you’re one of life’s wasters.

    239
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    Mute Jp Cleary
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    May 18th 2025, 3:55 PM

    @James Leahy: Thought he had done the honourable thing and resigned a few years ago.

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    Mute Jp Cleary
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    May 18th 2025, 3:56 PM

    @James Leahy: And I see the migration minister is unaware as well…. are these lads up to speed at all.

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    Mute Joe Beirne
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    May 18th 2025, 4:22 PM

    @John doe: Thought that was your level of intelligence alright

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    Mute Tired Jim
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    May 18th 2025, 4:22 PM

    @John doe: indeed, investing in several properties is a wise career move

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    Mute Jb Walshe
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    May 18th 2025, 4:24 PM

    @Joe Beirne: I’d say he hasn’t got a pit to p155 in

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    Mute Joe Beirne
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    May 18th 2025, 5:01 PM

    @Jb Walshe: To be fair, the journal facilitated it cos it encourages engagement however negative. I’m all for a bit of craic and healthy debate but this lad or whatever he is should be permanently banned.

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    Mute Dominic Leleu
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    May 19th 2025, 4:48 AM

    @John doe: because you have a iq equal to your backside temperature.

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    Mute micheal gilsenan
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    May 18th 2025, 3:32 PM

    a proven corrupt political talking about corruption. only in Ireland

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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    May 18th 2025, 3:42 PM

    @micheal gilsenan: Expecting straight dealing from that shower of shysters, is the triumph of hope over experience!

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 18th 2025, 3:42 PM

    @micheal gilsenan: no, not only Ireland, look at the states, corruption at a far grander scale than could ever happen here

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    Mute Brian D'Arcy
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    May 18th 2025, 3:35 PM

    Anyone with half a brain knew that as they signed up to a pact with Fibe Garl and Fianna Fáil that they’d have access to ministers which highlights the undemocratic process to cut opposition speaking time, backed by people who saud most other countries allow government politicians to ask questions, I’d suggest look at Westminster and seeing the complete waste of time that us, turning into a nothing but a free for all. Martin and Harris have attempting to destroy democracy on their C.V’s along with their other litany of failures.

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    Mute Gerry Campbell
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    May 18th 2025, 4:40 PM

    @Brian D’Arcy: It’s the death Nnell for independentants anyway …can’t be trusted anymore.

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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    May 18th 2025, 4:29 PM

    Sure a man that doesn’t know he owns houses wouldn’t know anything!

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    Mute Paul Byrne
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    May 18th 2025, 4:09 PM

    A joke

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    Mute Paul Byrne
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    May 18th 2025, 5:23 PM

    Ff are a joke their bank ruptured the country

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    Mute Jp Cleary
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    May 18th 2025, 6:33 PM

    @Paul Byrne: Do you think they actually giant fcuk

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    Mute Tracy Reddy
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    May 18th 2025, 3:49 PM

    How do all men stand by and allow total corruption? Gen X seem to be the only ones capable in this country and the rest of you are just a complete waste of space.

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    Mute Tracy Reddy
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    May 18th 2025, 9:36 PM

    @H Woo: Pull the other one it’s got bells on it

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    Mute J Ven
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    May 18th 2025, 4:03 PM

    Why are the comments for the City Weat Hotel closed? I know for a fact because i met people living there that they pay for a family of two children, an accommodated apartment with gym, swimming pool, all amenities for a five stars golf hotel that’s the city west for only €650 per month, they also work full time and get subsidised childcare, more than anyone would get. Where is the fairness in this? Refugee? That’s a five stars hotel turn to apartments and they get more disposable income than the rest of us. That’s why people are protesting.

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    Mute JoeJoe Kilbride
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    May 18th 2025, 8:34 PM

    @The Truth: always the lies to try to justify your agenda of hate

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    Mute Mary Wright
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    May 18th 2025, 7:41 PM

    Lowry will take down this Govt. He’ll bide his time. And make sure it happens. For his own satisfaction. He does not care about a single other person or entity except himself.

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    Mute Andrew Kenny
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    May 18th 2025, 6:56 PM

    Lowry is a corrupt wart.

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    Mute Kylie More-Rode - Ballyer Drag Queen
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    May 18th 2025, 8:28 PM

    Of course Lowry and co have access to Ministers – Lowry and Co ARE the government. This story’s narrative is to gaslight us into thinking they’re some kind of opposition.

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    Mute Jb Walshe
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    May 18th 2025, 8:09 PM

    Minister unaware…..hardly surprising news with the batch of incompetent fake politicians that we are unlucky enough to have to suffer

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    Mute Tired Jim
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    May 18th 2025, 4:23 PM

    Michael Lowry is awesome

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    Mute Matthew Gorman
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    May 18th 2025, 8:10 PM

    Up tipp.

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    Mute micheal duff
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    May 19th 2025, 1:27 AM

    Troy/Lowry dowery

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