In California, Christie says he's ready to fight

In a 25-minute speech that was half a call to arms for Republicans and half a demonstration that he has a soft, humble side, Christie urged Republicans to resist their own urge to coalesce around a nominee too soon. He reminded the audience that, in 1980, George H.W. Bush challenged Reagan late into the primary season, and that, in 2008, Hillary Clinton fought Barack Obama’s eventual nomination through June. 

“I can promise you that over the next few months, there will be article after article arguing that our party can’t afford a long nomination battle,” he said. “That we need to pick a nominee as soon as possible, that we have to unite around whichever candidate appears to have the most money or the most endorsements or the best press coverage.

“Don’t be afraid. The nomination should be decided by you and people like you all over this country, not by pollsters and by pundits, not by the talking heads on TV or by focus groups in some mall, not by donors or God forbid the media in New York or in Washington.”