Supporters of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have set up a super PAC to help boost his potential presidential bid.
Tell It Like It Is, named after Christie's 2016 campaign slogan, will be overseen by Brian Jones, an adviser to former GOP nominees John McCain and Mitt Romney, a source confirmed to the Washington Examiner.
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"Governor Christie has proven he’s unafraid to tell it like it is and is willing to confront the hard truths that currently threaten the future of the Republican Party. Now more than ever we need leaders that have the courage to say not what we want to hear, but what we need to hear," Jones said in a statement.
The formation of the PAC could be a sign that Christie is gearing up to jump into the 2024 fray soon. Earlier this month, the former governor said that a decision would likely come within the next two weeks. However, no decision has been made public as of yet.
Longtime adviser William Palatucci will lead the PAC, data veteran Brent Seaborn will work on voter targeting initiatives, and fellow Christie adviser Russ Schriefer will work on messaging, per the New York Times.
Allies of other prominent Republicans in the 2024 field or flirting with a campaign have formed super PACs to help bolster their candidacies. For instance, allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) formed Never Back Down earlier this year to lay the groundwork for the governor's campaign, which launched last week.
Christie, who befriended Trump in the early 2000s and became an early endorser of the former president in 2016, has since become fiercely critical of him. He has hinted that if he jumps into the 2024 arena, he plans to go on the offensive against Trump.
“It’s like he’s Voldemort,” Christie joked about Republican reluctance to go after Trump. “You’re not going to beat someone by closing your eyes, clicking your heels together three times, and saying there’s no place like home.”
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GOP hopefuls in the race include Trump, DeSantis, ex-ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Prominent Republicans mulling a run include former Vice President Mike Pence and Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH), among others.
Christie has trailed most of his peers in polls, hovering around 1% in the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate. He has tested the political waters with multiple trips to New Hampshire, where he has conducted town halls to gauge voter interest.