Kinzinger says he would support Christie above other GOP candidates

Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said he would support Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie above the other 2024 GOP candidates.

Kinzinger joined NBC News’ Gabe Gutierrez on Wednesday following the third Republican presidential debate that took place in Miami on Tuesday evening.

Gutierrez asked the former congressman who out of the group on stage stuck out to him.

“Well, it’s obviously really tough … particularly when nobody takes on the front runner,” Kinzinger said. “I mean, I didn’t hear very many compelling reasons to not vote for Donald Trump.”

Trump, who has skipped all three GOP debates, is leading in polling, far ahead of the other White House hopefuls.

Still, Kinzinger said he supports former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

“I like Chris Christie. I would support Chris Christie because he’s telling the truth,” he said. “And I think, for me, anybody that tells the truth, that’s important at this moment. But you know, he’s got obviously a pretty tough road to get there.”

Christie is polling lower than the other candidates. The Hill gave Christie’s performance in Tuesday’s debate a mixed review, not that he has a “vanishingly small” chance of becoming the nominee because he is the candidate on stage who is most vocal about their opposition against Trump.

The next GOP debate will take place on Dec. 6 and there are two more performances in January 2024 before the Iowa caucus. Kinzinger said while the most recent debate likely won’t change much for any of the candidates, there is still a long way to go before election night.

“As of now, I would say nothing changes,” he said. “Of course, it’s a year. It’s a year where Donald Trump is going to be facing justice, and that could make some changes around the margins.”

In another recent interview, Kinzinger said he is worried about the upcoming election because Trump “learned” the political system’s weaknesses in 2020.