Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie won’t be fading into the background after ending his 2024 presidential bid earlier this week.

Whether it be on a speculated No Labels centrist third-party ticket, continuing to tour the country advocating against former President Donald Trump, becoming a political analyst on the news, or even starting his own show, sources close to the former governor and presidential candidate have said Christie plans to stay involved.

A source familiar told the Washington Examiner, “I wouldn’t plan on him going away.”

“What that looks like remains to be seen, but he’s not — he will not be going away,” they added.

Christie assured the crowd of this himself Wednesday as he ended his presidential bid. “I am not going away. And my voice is not going away. And I’m going to continue to say all the things that I’ve said … whatever platforms are permitted to me as we go forward,” he said.

Longtime Christie ally Bill Palatucci, who served as an honorary chairman of the super PAC that backed his presidential bid, echoed this sentiment. “I have no doubt the governor will remain very active and visible on the on the national scene,” he explained. “As to how and where he wants to do that — we will have to wait.”

Palatucci first worked with Christie while leading George H. W. Bush’s 1992 presidential effort in New Jersey, later becoming a law partner of his. He served as an adviser to Christie in his 2009 and 2013 campaigns for New Jersey governor and continued to work alongside him in 2016, when he served as general counsel to then-candidate Trump’s Presidential Transition Committee.

While he was sure of Christie’s intention to remain vocal despite ending his campaign, Palatucci shared that speculation about what his next steps are is “premature.”

“He left the race less than 48 hours ago,” he said during an interview Friday with the Washington Examiner. Citing the Christie campaign’s very recent suspension, he said he wanted to give his “good friend time and space to determine what he wants to do.”

Shortly after Christie’s departure from the Republican primary race, a report emerged alleging No Labels had started engaging in discussions with allies of the former New Jersey governor about his potential place on its increasingly likely third-party unity ticket. The centrist organization did not provide comment to the Washington Examiner.

A source familiar rebutted the suggestion of Christie joining No Labels, revealing no one involved with his campaign effort has had any discussions with the group throughout the primary cycle. The source further shared that Christie had never mentioned the possibility of teaming up with No Labels.

According to the source, it’s likely donors of Christie’s that have started discussions with the group, perhaps hoping the former New Jersey governor is game.

Christie, however, dispelled the idea a few weeks before ending his campaign. But with his Republican presidential aspirations for 2024 no longer a factor, Christie could still have a change of heart.

“One thing I’ll say about all this speculation about the governor is it indicates how highly he’s thought of by people inside and outside of the Republican Party,” Palatucci said.

He added that the idea of players in the political and corporate worlds reaching out to Christie with opportunities isn’t surprising given his experience as a governor and keen knowledge of various policy areas. “He has been all over the world,” he said of Christie. “And so people all over the country, both parties, House and Senate, other governors reach out to him all the time for his insights on political issues and deep policy discussions.”

As for a nonpolitical future for Christie, his ex-aide suggested if he doesn’t pursue media, he might end up in business or sports. They specifically pointed to his current position on the New York Mets board of directors. Christie’s presidential run for 2024 might have even been motivated by a desire for “post-Trump rehabilitation” to wash “some of the stench of Trump off himself,” the ex-aide continued. This scenario is logical for the former aide, as Christie’s real chance at the White House has long passed.

While Christie did end his own campaign, he stopped short of endorsing anyone else for the nomination. Those who supported him in New Hampshire were likely to break for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley after his withdrawal, but the former New Jersey governor didn’t offer her his support, which might have ensured she received some of those votes.

The former aide to Christie believes he will be looking at getting a television gig now that he’s out of the race. And they suggested his choice not to endorse anyone else was motivated by his ability to earn more money as an unaffiliated analyst rather than a campaign surrogate.

Christie was particularly critical of Haley in the days leading up to his departure from the race — and on a hot mic exchange just before his campaign suspension announcement. During the short exchange, Christie predicted Haley would be “smoked.”

The ex-Christie aide said they would be “completely unsurprised” if the supposed hot mic moment had been purposeful. They noted it was unusual because Christie has been doing events and wearing microphones for them for almost 15 years.

Part of Christie’s Haley criticism revolved around her refusal to condemn Trump, noting she wouldn’t rule out potentially running as his vice president.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

This is the same reason a write-in effort for President Joe Biden in New Hampshire is hopeful of diverting some of those Christie supporters to their cause.

A spokesperson for the effort said they welcome any Christie supporter to switch their support to Biden by writing him in in the state’s New Hampshire Democratic primary. What they will be trying to telegraph to these voters, which amounted to 12% of Republican primary voters in a recent poll, is that Haley isn’t the anti-Trump candidate they are looking for.