NOW PLAYING
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) predicted during a podcast appearance this week that Republicans are headed for a “monumental defeat” in the upcoming midterm elections that could force a reckoning within the party.
The assessment came after comedian Hasan Minhaj asked Christie if GOP voters “want the truth,” referring to the former governor’s critiques of President Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign and in the years since.
“Probably not a majority of them right now,” he responded. “But you know what forces people to have to listen to the truth? Losing.”
He argued that a substantial blow in November might prompt Republicans to look inward and reassess the party’s future direction.
“I think we’re on our way to a monumental defeat as a party in the 2026 midterms, and when that happens, I think people, for practical reasons, will begin to reevaluate whether they really want to continue to hear the things that led to the losing or they want to hear some different ideas,” Christie said.
Christie, who dropped out of the 2024 presidential race just days before the Iowa caucuses, had spent much of his campaign positioning himself as an alternative to Trump.
He was repeatedly booed at conservative events throughout that election cycle, struggling to gain momentum for his message among the president’s core base.
The one-time Trump ally has since pushed for those inside the party to hold Trump accountable, blasting him in April as “undisciplined, immature and narcissistic.”
Trump’s dismal approval ratings, hovering in the mid-30s, have come as warning signs for vulnerable Republicans as they look to hold onto their slim majority in Congress.
Christie predicted Democrats would “win the House” later this year. He also said Democrats have a “better chance” in the Senate than previously thought, pointing specifically to the Texas Senate race as “in play.”
Still, he conceded that any change in the Republican Party would not happen overnight.
“You have to have a long-term view of this,” he told Minhaj. “I think it’ll turn, but it’s not going to turn that day. But you got to start laying the groundwork. It doesn’t happen like that.”
Add as preferred source on Google Tags Chris Christie Donald Trump Hasan MinhajCopyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Comments: Link copiedMore Campaign News
See All
Campaign Nearly 1 in 3 Americans would vote for a democratic socialist: Poll by Tara Suter 17 hours ago Campaign / 17 hours ago 
