Chris Christie clearly wants to run for president, but he’s not sure he has a path to the nomination. I think he can win if he does the following:
- Focus your attention on the mainstream, not the reactionary base. You can’t win them in a primary, anyway. They already belong to Trump, but he can’t prevail just as the leader of the reactionaries unless the 70 percent is split. Right now, no other candidate is competing for those votes, so they are yours for the taking.
- Position yourself as the heir to Reagan, not Trump.
- Attack Trump aggressively for his election denialism, his relationship with Putin, his willingness to dismantle NATO, and his criminal problems. Argue forcefully that Trump is a proven loser, and that the party needs to go in a very different direction.
- If you win the nomination, you will need the votes of the 30 percent in the general election. You can get them if you look like a fighter for them against left-wing values. Given your personality, that shouldn’t be a problem.
- Emphasize your ability to win in a blue state. None of the other candidates has that in his resume.