Outgoing New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a centrist Republican, says there is still wiggle room within the Republican Party to criticize President-elect Donald Trump, who has a stranglehold on the GOP as he is set to start his second term later this month.
Sununu told Politico in an end-of-the-year interview that it is “never easy criticizing the president and the standard-bearer of your party” but that there has been a demonstrated willingness to challenge Trump when necessary.
The Granite State governor, who served four consecutive terms in office before deciding not to seek reelection in 2024, insists that the GOP is still a “big tent” party that serves a wide variety of constituents, ranging from libertarian leaners to hard-core social conservatives.
Sununu said Trump’s nomination of former Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general, which was quickly squelched due to outcry on Capitol Hill, is a prime example of not only challenging the judgment of the current party leader but also dissenting successfully.
“There are already signs of folks that are willing to push back and criticize and say no when they feel like they have to say no,” Sununu said. “And that should give the American people a big sigh of relief that it’s not the evil dictatorship that the liberal media was telling us it was going to be.”
Sununu, 50, has faced difficulties in recent years threading the needle of New England Republican politics, failing to get former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley across the finish line in his state’s presidential primary. After Haley suspended her campaign, Sununu threw his support behind the former president.
The New Hampshire governor said he is not planning on running for president in 2028 as of now, adding that he is looking forward to getting into the private sector to “make some money.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
When asked whether Vice President-elect J.D. Vance will be the automatic next choice for the 2028 presidential nomination, Sununu said the outgoing Ohio senator will face a “real, contested primary” to take over as Trump leaves office.
“There’s no doubt he’s in a great position if he wanted to run in ‘28. But no one’s going to just hand it to him,” Sununu said.
