Former New Jersey Republican governor and longtime Trump critic Chris Christie faced backlash from co-hosts of "The View" after declaring that he would not vote for either former President Donald Trump or President Joe Biden.
In the wake of Trump’s choice of JD Vance as his running mate and his RNC acceptance speech on Thursday night, Christie argued on Friday that the former Republican president had failed his "chance to be unifying," arguing he could have picked someone like Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin as his vice president.
"I know you’re not voting for Trump, would you vote for a Democratic ticket?" show co-host Ana Navarro asked shortly afterward.
"Right now, I’m not voting for either. I’m just not. I can’t. One guy is completely mentally incompetent to do the job —" Christie replied as the co-hosts erupted.
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"But you have to vote!" co-host Joy Behar argued.
"No, I’m gonna vote down ticket. I don’t have to vote [for president], no!" Christie said, standing his ground, as one co-host could be heard telling him, "Yes, you do."
"You cannot throw away your vote! I asked you the last time you were on, Chris, and you’re gonna sit this one out?" co-host Sunny Hostin said, speaking over him.
Navarro grilled Christie, arguing that it was ironic he was telling Democrats to ditch their current presidential nominee when he planned to vote for neither. The former governor said he will maintain this position as long as Biden remains the Democratic nominee, but may change his mind if a better leading candidate is offered.
"I’m willing to consider anybody who presents themself as someone who will make the country better. Now, I’m not encouraged by Kamala Harris’ performance thus far," he said.
When asked by Hostin why he was not a Harris fan, he said, "’Why not?’ We only have like a minute-thirty. I don’t have enough time."
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Hostin has been one of Harris’ most staunch defenders over the years, arguing that she is criticized because of her Black racial background or for being a woman, and claiming her widely-parodied word salads are actually a product of her legal background rather than gaffes.
After Christie declared that the Biden-Harris ticket would not win in November, Behar asked if he would be willing to vote for a Harris-Joe Shapiro ticket, featuring the more moderate governor of Pennsylvania as the vice president.
"Don’t know. Let me see what they have to say," he said.
When multiple hosts objected to this answer, he declared, "I’m sorry that I care for what people stand for. I apologize. I’m not gonna pre-commit to it! Let them perform and earn my vote! People should have their vote earned!"
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When Behar argued that by the next time they see him, he would surely be voting for Biden, Christie joked, "Voting for you, Joy. I’ll write you in!"
