(NewsNation) — In the most scathing speech of the Republican Jewish Coalition yet, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie placed the blame for recent GOP struggles squarely on former President Donald Trump.
“We keep losing and losing and losing,” Christie said. “And the fact of the matter is the reason we’re losing is because Donald Trump has put himself before everybody else.”
During his remarks, Christie said the party has to stop bending to “one man” and that right now, candidates are being picked based on whether they believe the 2020 election was stolen.
HAPPENING NOW: @ChrisChristie says on stage here at the @RJC in Las Vegas “We keep losing and losing and losing. And the fact of the matter is the reason we’re losing is because Donald Trump has put himself before everybody else.” pic.twitter.com/Ju0OUYQMH7
— Robert Sherman (@RobertShermanTV) November 19, 2022
The Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership meeting, which began Friday in Las Vegas, was the same week Trump became the first GOP candidate to formally launch a 2024 presidential campaign. It also comes after a disappointing midterm election season for Republicans, as the “red wave” many were expecting fizzled out, and Democrats kept control of the Senate.
Some blamed Trump for this, which was apparent at the Republican Jewish Coalition. Before his own Friday night address, The Associated Press reported, Mike Pompeo, Trump’s former Secretary of State, mocked his former boss’s slogan.
“We were told we’d get tired of winning,” Pompeo said. “But I’m tired of losing.”
NOW: @mikepompeo is on stage at the @RJC. Jokes that he’s the “warm-up” act for @Mike_Pence tonight — saying the next time they see each other they “might be on stage with multiple podiums” — eluding to a possible Presidential debate. Crowd clapped enthusiastically. pic.twitter.com/TokH3jN4Tn
— Robert Sherman (@RobertShermanTV) November 19, 2022
The two-day conference, which includes a series of private donor meetings and public speeches, also features Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who many see as Trump’s biggest rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Other speakers include former Vice President Mike Pence, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
