Christie received widespread praise for his leadership and community involvement in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, which devastated parts of New Jersey in October 2012. He ran for president in 2016, but after struggling to gain support, he pulled out of the race and became a supporter of his former rival.

The seven Republicans on stage at their party's second 2024 presidential primary debate aimed on Wednesday to convince voters they could be a viable alternative to frontrunner Donald Trump, who skipped the event.

The second GOP primary debate may have been missing frontrunner, Donald Trump, but that doesn’t mean there was a shortage of highlights

Republican presidential candidates faced off Wednesday night in the second primary debate of the 2024 campaign. Follow here for live news updates, reactions and analysis.