Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie took a dig at his 2024 GOP presidential rival candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday after the Floridian attempted to distance himself from a controversial decision that came down from the state’s board of education.
Last week, Florida’s Board of Education released a set of educational standards that directs teachers to instruct students about the skills enslaved people developed and how they could’ve been applied for their “personal benefit” and the “violence perpetrated against and by African Americans,” HuffPost previously reported.
But in a CNN interview on Friday, DeSantis, who has passed several pieces of legislation limiting the teaching of Black history, denied playing any role in the board’s controversial decision.
Christie called DeSantis out on Sunday, telling CBS’ Margaret Brennan on “Face the Nation” that DeSantis’ denials were “not the words of leadership.”
“DeSantis started this fire with the bill that he signed and now he doesn’t want to take responsibility for whatever is done in the aftermath of it. And from listening and watching his comments, he’s obviously uncomfortable,” Christie said.
Christie also said the Florida governor has been “micromanaging curriculum in schools” rather than focusing on bigger national issues, such as inflation.
“I think people see this as politically manipulative,” Christie said. “We’re dividing our country into smaller and smaller and smaller pieces. And politicians are pitting them against each other to create conflict. And that’s not going to make the country bigger, better, stronger, or freer,” he added.
DeSantis is currently polling in second place in the 2024 Republican field at about 20%, behind frontrunner former President Donald Trump who has about 50% support, according to Real Clear Politics. Christie, a committed Trump critic, is trailing behind in seventh place, with backing in the low single digits.
Christie has taken jabs at DeSantis before, saying he doesn’t consider DeSantis a conservative.
Just last month, Christie called out DeSantis when the Florida governor refused to denounce former President Trump’s involvement in the 2021 Capitol insurrection and claimed he was nowhere near D.C. when it happened.
“He ‘wasn’t anywhere near Washington,’” Christie said. “Did he have a TV? Was he alive that day? Did he see what was going on? I mean, that’s one of the most ridiculous answers I’ve heard in this race so far.”
DeSantis’ office did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.