Christie, 61, has been under intense pressure to exit the Republican presidential primary race as critics of Donald Trump work to unify behind a viable alternative to the former president.
Standing at lecterns an arm’s length apart, DeSantis and Haley both sought a strong debate performance in Iowa without their lower-polling rivals by their side to lift their campaigns in the final days before Monday’s caucuses, where a good showing could provide much-needed momentum as they try to become the primary alternative to Donald Trump.
Her retreat came about 12 hours after a town-hall meeting in New Hampshire, a state that is central to her presidential hopes, where she was asked what caused the Civil War.
Biden made the comments about his likely Republican opponent in next year’s election shortly after landing in Milwaukee for an event focused on the economy.