It’s hard to think of a political figure who’s fallen further in his party than Chris Christie has. When he was elected the Republican governor of deep blue New Jersey in 2009, people had great expectations to say the least. But then he gave Obama that hug just before the 2012 election; and then Bridgegate happened, casting a pall over his entire second term. Somewhere in there, on his downslide, he decided to run for president. That effort is remembered primarily for two things: sinking Marco Rubio’s presidential bid and endorsing Trump’s. Christie’s proximity to Trump kept him relevant during the 45th president’s administration, but after Trump began lying about 2020 election fraud, Christie cut ties, which made him persona non grata again with a large swath of the party.

If Christie cares, he’s not showing it. He’s running for president again. And even though he doesn’t stand a chance of winning — if he cares about that, he’s not showing it either — winning might not even be the goal. He seems mostly determined to be a thorn in Trump’s side, calling him out every chance he gets. It’s not clear what effect he’s having given Trump’s continued popularity, but just because some voters aren’t listening to Christie doesn’t mean others shouldn’t. He’s known Trump for decades, he served his administration on and off for its duration, and now he’s sounding the alarm. If it were just Christie jumping ship on the former president, one might be able to dismiss his warnings. But what other high-level Trump administration officials are standing up for their former boss?

Christie may be a black sheep in the Republican party, but the advice he’s giving could very well save it. Right now, it doesn’t look as if there are any takers, but now is the time to listen. By next November, it could be too late.