A New Jersey-based polling firm, Opinion Insight, has a survey in the field testing former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as an independent presidential candidate, with a question about a ticket of Christie and U.S. Senator Joe Manchin.
It’s not clear who commissioned the poll, but records show that one of the firm’s past clients was America First Action, a now-defunct pro-Trump super PAC.
Christie dropped his bid for the GOP presidential nomination in January after investing entirely in a New Hampshire strategy that left him polling in the single digits with no path to victory.
Earlier this month, Christie said in an ABC Good Morning America interview that he would consider an independent bid if he saw a way to get to 270 electoral votes.
“If there was ever a time in our lifetime when a third-party candidate could make a difference,” Christie said. “I think it’s now the question, though, is, what kind of difference.”
Machin, who is not seeking re-election to his Senate seat in West Virginia, had mulled an independent presidential run but announced ten days ago that he would not be a candidate.