Chris Christie just left the 2024 Republican primary. Now what?

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's exit from the 2024 Republican primary marks the latest shake-up in the nominating race.

While Christie gave a lengthy speech on Wednesday explaining his decision and how much he hopes conservatives don't rally around front-runner Donald Trump, it remains unclear how much Christie's choice will affect GOP voters, most of whom keep saying in polls that they want Trump to be their party's nominee.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who was battling for the same independent and anti-Trump voters as Christie in New Hampshire, is projected to benefit, at least somewhat, from Christie's decision to bow out.

Surveys have shown Haley closing the polling gap with Trump in the state, where undeclared voters can vote in the GOP primary. Christie largely based his entire 2024 bid — along with his vocal anti-Trump message — on winning over voters in New Hampshire, receiving higher polling numbers than elsewhere.

Polls suggest that support could now be less splintered among the Trump alternatives since Christie suspended his campaign.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, meanwhile, is not anticipated by experts to win over a substantial swath of Christie backers in his bid to outmaneuver Trump with a more hard-line conservative platform than Haley's or Christie's.

«Chris Christie may well be the first candidate who is polling in double digits to drop out before votes are cast,» GOP strategist Mike Dennehy said.

Dennehy predicted that «Haley will get an immediate 8-10-point bounce in the polls» in New Hampshire — which, if true, would make the state's primary very competitive despite Haley having much less support elsewhere in the country.

Her campaign quickly cast the Christie news as a win, suggesting she'll