Chris Christie: Tuscaloosa Will Host 3rd Republican Debate, Trump May Participate

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has said the third Republican primary presidential debate will be hosted in Tuscaloosa, and former President Donald Trump may attend.

In a long interview on MSNBC Monday night, Christie said Trump did not attend the first debate last week in Milwaukee and he is not expected to participate in the FOX Business Republican primary Debate next month at the Reagan Presidential Foundation in California.

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Christie told the anchors that he predicts Trump's commanding lead in the polls will begin to weaken in the fall as a number of different criminal and civil cases against him continue to develop in court.

The former governor, who said he is polling at 14 percent in New Hampshire, said if Trump feels his lead slipping away, he might choose to engage in the third debate.

Earlier this year, GOP hopeful Nikki Haley said a third debate would be held in Alabama, but no one has yet officially confirmed the time or place.

Christie appeared to do so Monday night on MSNBC.

“I’d keep my eye on the on the debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in October,” Christie said. “Because at that point, he will have lost even more ground in the polls, in my view, and you know that's all Donald Trump cares about is looking at the latest poll that he can see and determining his conduct not by what's right, not by what's fair to the Republican voters but by what he perceives is in his personal interest. That's why he has no business being president again but that's why I think he may show up in Alabama."

Just last week, Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl told AL.com that he could not comment on whether or not Alabama would host a presidential debate, but Christie's comments suggest the answer is yes, and it may be here in the Druid City.

For updates on the third debate as they are made publicly available, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.