Chris Christie likened Donald Trump to a notorious film and literary villain during Wednesday night’s Republican presidential debate in Tuscaloosa after his three rivals on the debate stage avoided mentioning the former president in their responses.

“We’ve had these three acting as if the race is between the four of us. The fifth guy, who doesn’t have the guts to show up and stand here, he’s the one who’s way ahead in the polls,” Christie said, “and yet I’ve got these three guys who are all seemingly to compete with Voldemort, ‘He who shall not be named.’”

Christie was referring to the Harry Potter villain whose name characters are reluctant to say in fear Voldemort would appear.

The former New Jersey governor was responding to moderator Megyn Kelly when he was asked if he has any hope to win the nomination when Trump is dominating in the polls.

“When you go and you say the truth about someone who is a dictator, a bully, who has taken shots at everybody … then I understand why these three are timid to say anything about it,” Christie said.

“The fact of the matter is the truth needs to be told,” he continued, saying it was “ridiculous” to not discuss Trump in the first 17 minutes of the debate from the University of Alabama’s Moody Music Hall.

“He is unfit,” Christie said. “There is no bigger issue in this race than Donald Trump.”