While the debate rages on over whether or not Wednesday night's Republican presidential debate was a total dumpster fire, a related one is also heating up over a statement made at the event by former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie related to First Lady Jill Biden.

Christie was asked about public education in the Garden State and what he would do to address the problems related to alleged poor performance in math and reading among minority students compared to how white students perform in those same classes.

Christie responded by noting that all students needed to "be addressed," not just minority students, but he also took a swing at teachers' unions and their "stranglehold" on the Democratic Party, suggesting it couldn't be undone as long as Joe Biden was president because of who he is married to.

Except, he didn't exactly put it that way. Here's what Christie said:

But let’s tell the truth to everybody of what this is. This public school system is no longer run by the public. It is run by the teachers' unions in this country. Randi Weingarten and her crew are absolutely strangling... They’re taking the worst of their members and defending them rather than advocating for our kids.

And when you have the President of the United States sleeping with a member of the teachers' union, there is no chance that you could take the stranglehold away from the teachers' union every day. They have an advocate inside the White House every day for the worst of their teachers, not for our students to be the best they can be. A President of United States has to take on the teachers' union. I did it in New Jersey and I will do it as president of the United States.

Watch:

Former NJ Gov. Chris Christie blasts teachers unions’ impact on education, noting First Lady Jill Biden’s membership:

“When you have the president of the United States sleeping with a member of the teachers union, there is no chance that you could take the stranglehold away.” pic.twitter.com/lDVFLmADsY

— The Recount (@therecount) September 28, 2023

Naturally, the Usual Suspects pounced and seized by declaring Christie "misogynistic," predicting his comments would backfire on the GOP in the 2024 elections.

Case in point, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who erupted on Twitter over Christie's remarks:

It’s disgusting, misogynistic, and if Republicans want to continue pissing off an entire nation of women, please be my guest. We’ll see you at the ballot box. 

She included the fire and ballot box emoticons to really emphasize her supposed point.

But as Save Women's Sports spokeswoman Riley Gaines saw it, AOC's implied suggestion that Democrats were the party of women in contrast with Republicans missed the mark - big time:

Is this the same AOC that said upholding Title IX as it was intended is "indefensible and embarrassing"?  

Because surely the person saying women don't deserve equal opportunities wouldn't call someone else a misogynist without first claiming to be one herself.

Gaines followed up with a screengrab that showed how Democrats including AOC voted on the GOP-proposed Protect Women in Sports Act:

Words mean nothing without actions to support it. AOC doesn't care about women's safety, privacy, equal opportunities, or dignity as made clear by her vote on HR 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act

This displayed contempt for women is the definition of misogyny pic.twitter.com/mhPmx1nZqv

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) September 28, 2023

This is a point that other prominent conservative women have made before as well about how AOC and her ilk can't on one hand declare themselves to be advocates for women while on the other hand lending credence to the theory being pushed by trans rights activists and their supporters on the left that so-called transgender women competing in women's sports hurts no one.

Gaines, who is an athlete herself, is of the mindset of a growing number of people, male and female alike, who understand that someone enthusiastically cheerleading for “transgender rights” while women’s rights (and sports) as we know them are being put at risk is at odds with any stated claim from Democrats about being pro-woman.

In my opinion, this issue is likely to hurt Democrats next year far more than anything Chris Christie says on any topic will hurt Republicans. Because while few people pay attention to what Chris Christie has to say, a lot more people pay attention to what Democrats are saying and doing about women's sports, particularly on how people must be tolerant of the inclusion of transgender women in those sports - and they don't like it. At all.

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