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Christie Takes A Breather From Campaign After Poor New Hampshire Showing

It was a disappointing night for Chris Christie supporters in Nashua Tuesday night. The New Jersey Governor finished near the bottom of the Republican field in the New Hampshire Primary. 
 
Christie was hoping for third place or higher but instead finished in sixth. 

The way Chris Christie saw it, New Hampshire would be his ticket to the national stage. That’s why he hosted nearly 80 town halls across the state, spent more than 70 days campaigning here and worked to secure more than 200 New Hampshire endorsements.

 
But in the end – Christie’s groundwork didn't translate into many votes.

Credit Paige Sutherland/NHPR
Former House Speaker Donna Sytek says Christie's debate performance on Saturday had a positive impact, just not for him.

We leave New Hampshire tonight without an ounce of regret, not for the time we’ve spent and for the thousands of people who’ve voted for us,” Christie told his supporters in Nashua late Tuesday.

 
Many at Christie’s headquarters were shocked – thinking the time he invested here and his strong debate performance Saturday would provide the push he needed. 
 
But former New Hampshire House Speaker Donna Sytek, who endorsed Christie in December, thinks his attack on Marco Rubio had an impact on the race. But rather than boosting Christie, it cleared space for other candidates to rise. 
 
“Christie you know went a little too far in making his point, you know, like good cop, bad cop and he was the bad cop and Kasich and Bush ended up being the good cop," Sytek said.

Credit Paige Sutherland/NHPR
Renee Giffroy and Brad Pierce of Rye say they're shocked the time Christie invested in the Granite State didn't pay off.

Ohio Governor John Kasich and former Florida governor Jeb Bush both finished ahead of Christie last night.

 
Christie says he'll fly home to New Jersey Wednesday morning instead of South Carolina to figure out whether to continue his campaign. 
 

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