EXCLUSIVE — Gov. Chris Sununu (R-SC) is preparing to issue his coveted endorsement in the Republican presidential primary in the coming weeks, which could give his selected candidate the boost necessary to compete with former President Donald Trump in New Hampshire.
In an interview Monday with the Washington Examiner, Sununu said he will likely make his endorsement “in the next few weeks.” New Hampshire is set to hold its presidential primary contest on Jan. 23, just eight days after the Iowa caucuses.
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“I’ll be on the campaign trail with a few of the candidates in the next coming weeks,” Sununu explained, adding that he will be looking to see where things stand among the remaining non-Trump candidates.
The New Hampshire governor’s endorsement could prove valuable to Republican candidates seeking the nomination, particularly in New Hampshire, where undeclared voters are able to vote in the Republican primary. Sununu, who is in his fourth term, boasts a 63% approval rating, according to an August poll by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. In 2020, the New Hampshire governor’s approval surpassed 80%.
Sununu emphasized his desire to “choose somebody that I think can be a great leader for this country — not just who can win.” The governor claimed that ability to win is a “weak argument” on its own.
According to Sununu, “The argument that these folks have to make is that they really are positioned to be America’s best opportunity to lead the country — lead the world in what is undoubtedly going to be some very tough times ahead.”
One person who can be crossed off his potential endorsements list, however, is Vivek Ramaswamy. “I’m not sure what’s more likely for Vivek’s campaign, a Mitt Romney endorsement or Chris Sununu. Jury is still out,” quipped Ramaswamy campaign senior adviser Tricia McLaughlin.
The former biotech CEO recently called Sununu a “corporate stuffed shirt” while campaigning in New Hampshire, signaling he isn’t all that interested in the governor’s endorsement. Ramaswamy also claimed such an endorsement would be the “kiss of death to whichever candidate gets it, and so I will be dodging that.”
Meanwhile, Betsy Ankney, Haley’s campaign manager, said that under Sununu’s leadership, “New Hampshire is one of the freest states in the nation. He understands the value of a dollar, vetoed income taxes, and made N.H. the safest state in the nation. Granite Staters have a governor they can be proud of.”
Sununu has appeared at events in his state for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. He is expected to choose one of the three to endorse. Previously, the New Hampshire governor has said his endorsement won’t just be a seal of approval but an entire political machine working behind his chosen candidate.
“I’m not going to do an endorsement and sit on my hands. When I do an endorsement, it’s going to be a six-, seven-, eight-, nine-week push, whatever it is, to really make sure folks know where we are. I tend to not leave anything on the table,” he said.
Campaigns for DeSantis and Christie did not provide comment to the Washington Examiner.
Of Haley, who is polling second behind Trump in his state, Sununu said she has a “strong opportunity” and is “definitely positioned” for decent finishes or wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, which could give her momentum to win her home state of South Carolina.
On the other hand, he said DeSantis “does pretty well on the campaign trail.” Sununu also acknowledged, though, that the Florida governor is focusing his campaigning on Iowa, which hosts the first-in-the-nation Republican presidential caucuses. “That’s nothing that hasn’t happened before, but it doesn’t always bode for the best results,” he said.
As he prepares to issue an endorsement, Sununu expressed confidence in the fact that the field is “definitely narrowing down.” In the last month, both former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) suddenly suspended their campaigns, which many pointed to as a step toward consolidation of the non-Trump vote.
“It very much is happening more aggressively and narrowing the field down than we’ve probably seen in 20 years,” the New Hampshire governor claimed.
He ceded that most likely Republican primary voters in his state are still planning to vote for Trump, but he said it was due to the lack of a clear choice. “It isn’t that they’re all diehard Trump fans,” he explained. Instead, they “just don’t see a clear choice.”
“When it gets down to a one-on-one. Now they’re really given a choice,” he added.
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Sununu further said voters are becoming increasingly excited about the prospect of having a realistic choice between Trump and another candidate.
“I’m working as hard as I can to make sure the Republicans are thinking a little more into the future and find a great alternative to the former president,” he said.
