Chris Christie Thinks JD Vance Has Too Much Trump ‘Stink’ on Him to Be the 2028 Republican Nominee

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said he isn’t betting on Vice President JD Vance to be the 2028 Republican nominee.

Why?

“He is going to reek with the stink of Donald Trump,” Christie said.  And I think that the Republican Party will probably look at that and say, ‘I don’t want a Democrat to get elected, and if I nominate him, the overwhelming likelihood is he will.'”

The ex-governor shared his prediction during a Thursday interview at George Washington University. And beyond the Trump stench, as Christie put it, Vance has other challenges.

“JD is not nearly as charming as Trump,” Christie continued. “You say what you want about Trump, but he has charm and he has some charisma, when he decides to use it. I haven’t seen that out of Vance yet.”

GW Media professor Frank Sesno wondered if Vance could grab the nomination by creating a bit of distance between himself and Trump, similar to how George H.W. Bush was able to do the same thing with then-President Ronald Reagan in 1988. Christie said he doesn’t see it happening.

“It’s much different,” Christie said. He argued it will be tough for Vance to move away from Trump because even if he shifts away from the president’s policies and “voodoo economics,” Dems can still point out he compared Trump to Hitler at one point — and still served in his administration.

Sesno went on to ask Christie about a few other potential Republican nominees. Christie said he doesn’t see Secretary of State Marco Rubio running in ’28, since he’s a smart fella who understands he is now branded as a “Trump Republican”; Rubio will likely wait for another election to try and become president, he said.

The professor then asked Christie about his own potential run.

“I’m gonna look at it,'” Christie said. “But there are going to be a number of things that have to happen.”

Sesno pointed out it would be his third time running, if he jumps into the ’28 race.

“True, just like Reagan. He got elected on the third time,” Christie said.

Watch above via C-SPAN.

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