Privately, Trump’s closest advisers are eager to sway him. Kushner, the millionaire real estate developer who has emerged as a de facto campaign manager in recent weeks, is said to strongly oppose putting Christie on the ticket. Notably, Christie was the federal prosecutor who put Kushner’s father in prison a decade ago…

Working in Christie’s favor is a personal rapport with Trump himself from a relationship that dates back more than a decade.

“They know each other,” said one source close to Trump. “Compare that relationship to Pence, who Trump has interacted with five times and who endorsed Trump’s rival two days before the Indiana primary that Trump won by 18 points.”

Trump on Wednesday talked up Christie in his interview with Fox. “I tell you Chris Christie is somebody I have liked for a long time,” Trump told Baier. “He is a total professional. He’s a good guy, by the way. A lot of people don’t understand that.”