Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie raised $1.65 million for his 2024 presidential campaign in the second quarter of this year, according to NBC News. Saturday was the disclosure deadline for the quarter ending June 30.
Christie, who announced his campaign last month, also shared this week that he brought in 40,000 donors, with at least 200 each in 20 different states or territories, putting him on a path to qualify for the Republican presidential debate a little over a month away.
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“Last night, we went past 40,000 unique donors in just 35 days,” Christie told Anderson Cooper Wednesday on CNN. “And [to] give you some perspective because I ran eight years ago, in 35 days eight years ago, we had 5,000 donors. Over 40,000 donors now.”
Republican candidates must meet a number of criteria issued by the Republican National Committee to qualify for the debate. Candidates must poll at 1% in three qualifying national polls or two national polls and one qualifying early state poll from two separate states — Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, or South Carolina. The first GOP presidential primary debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Aug. 23.
The RNC is requiring presidential hopefuls who wish to participate in the GOP’s first primary debate to pledge to support the eventual Republican nominee. Christie has said he believes the new rule is a “bad idea,” saying last month that “the pledge is just a useless idea.”
Former President Donald Trump has yet to commit to the first Republican presidential primary debate, alluding to the possibility of launching an event to counterprogram the event, according to sources close to him.
Christie, who twice supported and advised Trump ahead of the 2020 election, spoke on Piers Morgan Uncensored this week, claiming he would win in a UFC-style fight against the current GOP front-runner Trump.
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"Oh, come on. The guy is 78 years old, I'd kick his a**," Christie said. "I'll fight Donald Trump anywhere he wants, in any arena he wants — whether it's on a debate stage or in the octagon,"
Latest polling has Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Christie tied in the battleground state of New Hampshire. American Pulse has DeSantis leading the former New Jersey governor by half a percentage point, 10.5% to 10%.