David Jackson

USA TODAY

Chris Christie has ended his presidential campaign following a disappointing finish in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.

"I tried to reinforce what I have always believed — that speaking your mind matters, that experience matters, that competence matters and that it will always matter in leading our nation. That message was heard by and stood for by a lot of people, but just not enough and that’s ok," the New Jersey governor said in a Facebook post Wednesday. "I leave the race without an ounce of regret. I’m so proud of the campaign we ran, the people that ran it with me and all those who gave us their support and confidence along the way."

Campaign spokeswoman Samantha Smith said Christie shared his decision with staff at his campaign headquarters in Morristown, N.J., on Wednesday afternoon, and was calling donors and other supporters.

Christie had hinted at his plans after finishing sixth in the primary won by Donald Trump, telling supporters Tuesday night he would return to his home on Wednesday to assess the future of his campaign.

"It's both the magic and the mystery of politics that you never quite know which is going to happen, even when you think you do," Christie said.

What went wrong for Chris Christie's presidential campaign?

He stressed counter-terrorism and the need to rein in entitlement spending during his campaign but could not break through the large pack chasing front-runner Trump.

New Jersey issues dogged Christie as well, including the so-called "Bridgegate" scandal. Aides once closed part of the George Washington Bridge, creating a massive traffic jam in a city where a mayor had opposed Christie. The governor denied authorizing the incident and fired aides who were involved.

"Christie needed to drop out. In short, he does not have the money or organization to be viable in South Carolina and beyond," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.

Throughout the campaign, Christie stressed his executive experience as governor as well as his years as a federal prosecutor. He argued that governors make better presidents than senators (like Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz) or business people (like Trump).

The Saturday debate in Manchester provided a high point for Christie, as the governor earned strong reviews for his attacks on Rubio's lack of experience and the Florida senator's repetitive, robotic answers to questions.

Top takeaways from the New Hampshire Republican debate

However, Christie's debate ambush of Rubio did not ultimately seem to help him at the New Hampshire polls, and also triggered blowback from some conservatives.

"Chris Christie, suicide bomber," tweeted News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch. "Damages victim while blowing himself up!"

Contributing: Bob Jordan, Asbury Park Press