Cronkite school of journalism at
Arizona state university.
Amna: The race to the Republican
nomination for president is
picking up as a growing number
of candidates jump into an
already crowded field.
Former New Jersey governor Chris
Christie filed his paperwork
with the federal election
commission today, becoming the
latest to launch his
presidential bid.
Tonight he kicks off his run
with remarks at a townhall in
Manchester, New Hampshire.
Laura baron Lopez has more.
Reporter: Chris Christie has not
been shy about his sour feelings
for Donald Trump.
>> Donald Trump is a TV star,
nothing more, nothing less.
We put him back in the white
house, the reruns will be worst
than the original show.
Reporter: The former two term --
the same state he finished in
sixth place in the Republican
primary.
In 24 hours, dropped his first
bid for the presidency.
Then and now he positioned
himself as a no holds barred
candidate leaning into the tough
talking reputation he had as
governor.
For two decades Christie
considered trump a friend and
advised him throughout his
campaign and presidency.
>> I am proud to endorse trump
as president of the U.S.
Reporter: Christie broke with
him in 2020 as trump spread
misinformation of a stolen
election.
He considers those lies a threat
to the Republican party.
>> I got off the train when he
stood up in the west wing of the
white house and told us the
election was stolen when he did
not have one fact to back it up.
Reporter: Christie also blamed
the former president's rhetoric
for the January 6 attack on the
capital --capitol.
>> It incited people to that
level of anger.
Reporter: Christie is now
positioning himself as trump's
foil.
With a legacy of bipartisanship
and moderate policy position.
>> I, pro-life governor in new
Jersey.
I was very clear about my
personal views.
Reporter: For -- from 2002 to
2008, he served as public
prosecutor and then set his
sights on the governor's
mansion.
Elected in 2009.
Reporter: New Jersey, we did it.
-- New Jersey, we did it.
>> I want to let them know I am
on the job and will continue to
work hard.
Reporter: He went on to be
reelected in 2013.
His second term was marred with
a scandal known as bridgegate.
One of his aide's colluded to
create traffic jams by closing
lanes to the George Washington
bridge, one of the busiest
commuter bridges in the world.
>> I have 65,000 people working
for me every day.
I cannot know what each is doing
at every minute.
But that does not matter.
I am ultimately responsible for
what they do.
Reporter: The scandal became
subject of a federal
investigation, ending in the
indictment of Christie's deputy
chief of staff to the port
authority.
Christie denied direct
involvement and was never
charged, but it cast a shadow on
his time as governor.
In 2017 he was unapologetic
after being photographed
enjoying a holiday weekend on an
empty beach he had closed to the
public after a shut down.
>> He has a residence on the
beach.
Reporter: He left office with a
15% approval rating, down from a
peak of 17%, one of the lowest
of any governor in New Jersey.
But Christie hopes to start
fresh as he takes on his former
boss in the process.
For the pbs newshour, Laura
Lopez.