CONCORD, NH (AP) — Gov. New Hampshire Chris Sununu introduced Wednesday that he is not going to search reelection for a fifth time period in 2024, an surprising transfer for the favored Republican that offers Democrats actual hope of reclaiming the battleground state’s highest elected workplace throughout a presidential election yr.
Sununu, who took workplace the identical yr Donald Trump entered the White Home, mentioned in an interview that the nation’s poisonous political local weather had no bearing on his resolution. However he denounced Trump’s influence on the GOP and pledged to make use of his political capital to assist Trump’s Republican rivals within the state’s first presidential primaries within the weeks and months to return.
“They name it ‘public service,’ not ‘public profession,'” mentioned Sununu, who additionally determined in current months to not run for president and the US Senate. Turning to the 2024 presidential primaries, he mentioned, “I might be an aggressive supporter of everybody else (besides Trump) and a supporter of the Republican Get together. Donald Trump doesn’t characterize the Republican Get together. He could also be our candidate, however he would not characterize the long run. He is yesterday’s information.’
Whereas Sununu, 48, plans to play an outsized function in state and nationwide politics within the 2024 election, his resolution offers Democrats motive to be optimistic about successful the governorship for the primary time Sununu took workplace in 2017.
“Earlier than Sununu, the Democrats had their eye on the governor’s workplace for 12 years. Sununu modified all that,” mentioned Dante Scala, a political science professor on the College of New Hampshire. “He would have been the heavy favourite if he had determined to run for a fifth time period. For the primary time since 2016, we could have a greater probability of a aggressive race for governor. Democrats could have their finest probability shortly.
AP Picture/Phelan M. Ebenhack
A number of high-profile Republicans have already expressed curiosity in succeeding Sununu.
Chuck Morse, former Republican president of the New Hampshire Senate and a former U.S. Senate candidate, introduced his marketing campaign for governor shortly after Sununu introduced his resolution in an electronic mail to supporters. Morse mentioned in a press release that he’s proud to have partnered with Sununu “to construct a conservative, pro-jobs, pro-growth, family-first financial agenda that has made New Hampshire the envy of New England and the nation.”
Former Republican U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte may additionally be part of the sector of candidates. She mentioned that “the battle to make sure New Hampshire retains our Reside Free or Die spirit should proceed” and teased the announcement of “large information within the coming days.”
At the least two Democrats have already bid for the place of governor, Councilor Cinde Warmington and Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig.
Democrats have struggled to discover a prime candidate for governor since former governor Maggie Hassan left workplace to affix the U.S. Senate. However they’ve a transparent benefit in 2024 – a minimum of on paper.
New Hampshire remains to be thought of a swing state, however no Republican presidential candidate has gained the state since George Bush in 2000. Trump, looking for the GOP nomination for a 3rd time and main the state’s early primaries, misplaced New Hampshire by 7 factors within the 2020 basic election.
Sununu, a well-liked governor who made the rounds on nationwide speak exhibits this yr, made the announcement in June he would not seek the presidency in 2024. He argued that Republican candidates who “don’t have any highway to victory will need to have the braveness to emerge from their social gathering’s more and more crowded primaries to keep away from Trump of re-election.
He instructed The Related Press on Wednesday that Trump “has no probability of successful the presidency in 2024.” “He will drag everybody together with him, as he has finished yr after yr after yr,” he mentioned.
Sununu mentioned he plans to marketing campaign with a number of Trump rivals within the coming weeks, together with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and former Texas U.S. Consultant Will Hurd.
Nationwide Democrats applauded the information.
Meghan Meehan-Draper, govt director of the Democratic Governors Affiliation, predicted “a dire, excessive, and expensive Republican main for governor” with a number of supporters of what has come to be often known as the “Make America Nice Once more” motion.”
“Not solely have Granite State voters constantly rejected that type of division and chaos, however after 4 phrases of Sununu’s busts over exacerbating points — such because the housing disaster, assaults on public training and dangerous abortion restrictions — they know it is time for a change,” she mentioned.
Sununu beforehand angered Republicans in Washington by ruling against a bid from the US Senate in 2021. That they had hoped that he might defeat Hassan, the incumbent Democratic social gathering, and assist them regain the chamber within the 2022 midterm elections.
As an alternative, Sununu gained re-election final yr by greater than 15 factors and mentioned he might have an even bigger and extra direct influence as governor than as a senator. In a nod to the gradual tempo of Washington politics, he mentioned he did not wish to spend the subsequent six years “sitting assembly after assembly ready for votes to return.”
Sununu, whose father served as governor from 1983 to 1989 and later served as White Home chief of workers below President George HW Bush, was the nation’s youngest prime govt when he took workplace in 2017 at age 42. Throughout his tenure, the easy-going politician identified for his folksy methods has been lauded for his pro-business insurance policies, efforts to battle inflation and his management throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Republican Governors Affiliation president and Iowa governor Kim Reynolds launched a press release praising Sununu following his announcement, saying he “by no means shied away from a problem.”
“He made it a precedence to ship balanced budgets, reduce taxes, enhance training and deal with useful resource use problems for New Hampshire residents,” she mentioned. “And because of Governor Sununu’s management, New Hampshire now ranks primary within the nation for private freedom.”
Peoples reported from Hudson, NH
