Donald Trump initially offered New Jersey Governor Chris Christie the No. 2 slot on his ticket, but eventually bowed to pressure from his campaign advisors and family who pushed him to tap Indiana Governor Mike Pence.

Just days before the Republican convention in Cleveland this past summer, Trump had finalized the list of running mates to Christie, Pence, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Many of Trump's top aides as well as his two oldest sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, wanted him to take Pence, the New York Post reported.

Trump was having difficulty winning the support of the evangelical wing of the Republican Party, and having Pence on the ticket could shore up that base of support, they said.

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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump (right) and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (left) are seen on the campaign trail in Columbus, Ohio, on March 1, 2016

Privately, however, Trump was undecided.

Christie, seeing this, decided to lobby Trump for the job.

The New Jersey governor hoped that the close relationship he had developed with the real estate mogul would tip the balance in his favor – and he may have been right.

'Trump cares about who's the most loyal and who kisses his a– the most, not who's the most qualified and what's the best political decision,' a source close to the campaign told the Post.

'If it was up to him, it would have been Christie.'

Christie had apparently endeared himself to Trump, much to the dismay of the candidate's top advisers, chief among them campaign manager Paul Manafort.

Trump was persuaded by Christie to name him as his running mate, but his two eldest sons, Eric (left) and Donald Jr. (center), urged him to pick Indiana Governor Mike Pence (right)

While Trump was considering Christie, Manafort was working to bring Pence on to the ticket by arranging meetings between the candidate and the Indiana governor.

The critical moment came on July 12, when Christie reportedly told Trump what he wanted to hear.

'Yeah, sure I'm giving it to you.' Trump is reported to have told Christie.

The next day, Trump was due in Indiana to meet Pence.

Manafort wanted the two men to come to agreement on Pence's joining the ticket then fly to New York the next day to make the official announcement.

Trump (left) was persuaded by Christie to pick him, but his campaign manager, Paul Manafort (right), argued that the New Jersey governor was tainted by the Bridgegate scandal

After Trump's meeting with Pence, Manafort told him that the plane had a mechanical problem, forcing them to stay in Indiana another night.

That gave Manafort and other Trump aides time to convince their boss that picking Christie would have been politically unsound given the Bridgegate scandal.

In 2013, Christie aides colluded among them to shut down lanes at the main toll plaza on the upper level of the George Washington Bridge in order to create traffic jams in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

The move was believed to be retaliation against the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, Mark Sokolich, for his refusal to support Christie in the 2013 race for governor in New Jersey.

Indictments were issued against Christie aides for intentionally causing traffic on the George Washington Bridge (above) as retribution against the mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey, who declined to support Christie's 2013 election bid

The investigation resulted in indictments against two aides.

Christie denied ever having knowledge of the plan to shut down the traffic lanes.

Had it not been for the scandal, Christie may have been Trump's pick, not Pence.

'Trump had wanted Christie but Bridgegate would have been the biggest national story,' a source close to Trump told the Post.

'He'd lose the advantage of not being corrupt.'

Trump told Christie that he would pick Pence because not doing so would 'tear my family apart.'

In an interview with MSNBC, Christie said he was displeased with the decision.

'If you're a competitive person, like I am, and you're used to winning, like I am - again, you don't like coming in second, ever,' the New Jersey governor said.