Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced on Wednesday that he is ending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Christie's decision comes just days before the Iowa caucuses, as he seeks to prevent Donald Trump from securing the nomination. Speaking at a town hall in New Hampshire, Christie said, "My goal has never been to be just a voice against the hate and division and the selfishness of what our party has become under Donald Trump. I've always said that if there came a point in time in this race where I couldn't see a path to accomplishing that goal, that I would get out." Addressing his decision to drop out, Christie expressed his belief that the nomination was out of reach. "It's clear to me tonight that there isn't a path for me to win the nomination, which is why I'm suspending my campaign tonight for president of the United States," he said. Despite the setback, Christie remained non-committal on endorsing any of his rivals. However, he was overheard criticizing former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley on a livestream set up by his campaign, indicating a potential friction in his relations with some of his fellow Republican candidates. Christie's withdrawal from the race comes as a surprise, given his focus on the New Hampshire primary. Recent polls have shown him reaching the double digits in the state, but former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley has been gaining momentum. This strong showing led allies of Haley, including New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu and other anti-Trump Republicans, to urge Christie to step aside in the hope that his supporters would flock to Haley, creating a two-candidate race against Trump in the upcoming primary. Throughout his campaign, Christie positioned himself as a strong critic of Trump, warning against nominating a candidate who has faced criminal indictments and arguing that Trump would likely be defeated in a rematch with President Joe Biden. Despite attracting media attention and receiving small-dollar donations, Christie faced high unfavorability ratings within the party. Despite this, Christie outlasted better-known and better-funded candidates by running a frugal campaign and maintained a simple, frugal campaign. Instead of flying by private jet and hiring a litany of expensive consultants, he relied on a tight-knit staff of just over a dozen people and had a far lower burn rate than rivals like DeSantis, spending far less per day. This campaign marked a redemption mission for Christie, who played a significant role in helping Trump secure the presidency in 2016. Despite their close relationship, Christie broke with Trump on the night of the 2020 election, after Trump falsely claimed victory, and subsequently released a critical book of the former president. Throughout the course of his campaign, Christie has also advocated for leaving abortion restrictions to the states until there is broader consensus on the issue, and he has stressed the importance of continued U.S. support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, among other issues.