Chris Sununu has been shepherding various Republicans (not named Trump) around New Hampshire. Chris Christie and Ron DeSantis are two examples. And the buzz is that these candidates are vying for an endorsement as if that will help them in the NH primary.
Do they know how much Mr. Sununu likes microphones and cameras in his face, especially from the national press? Ooh, they are paying attention to me! Aren’t I special? And what if I endorse someone?
“If I make an endorsement, I make an endorsement. Don’t put too much stock in my endorsement,” Sununu said while praising Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), whom he is campaigning with on Tuesday. A town hall in Seacoast will feature both DeSantis and Sununu this evening.
“The race is actually wide open. I think there’s three or four candidates that are clearly surging ahead. There’s six or seven, I don’t even know how many we’re counting at this point in the race,” Sununu told the Messenger during a campaign stop in Londonderry alongside the Florida governor.
I can read a poll, so I can’t say exactly who it is Sununu thinks is surging. And the race is not wide open unless by race you mean for second place, the handful of pigeons picking at Trump’s primary crumbs.
To be clear, and I’ve said it many times, I’d like it to be closer. We get more from everyone when we have an actual contest, but the current lay of the Republican Primary land has the former President as far ahead today as he was several months ago. In some cases, further. The more we see of his challengers, the better it has been for his polling.
So, I’m not sure what a Sununu endorsement does except shine more attention on Chris Sununu.
Although primary ballots won’t be cast for months, Sununu’s endorsement could help close the gap in the polls that Republican candidates are striving for as Trump holds a massive lead. The latest poll from USA Today, the Boston Globe, and Suffolk University showed Trump at 49% with New Hampshire voters, with former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley at 19%.
Haley is no closer than DeSantis a few months back before he had a campaign collapse, retool, and reemergence. He’s done better since then, and he’s got impressive roots and tips. His supporters show up. They make noise. It’s exciting, and he’s got a decent record and says all the right things.
I haven’t seen Haley on the campaign trail (yet), but she was the best UN ambassador in my lifetime. That works internationally, but what about domestic bliss? I’m not sure she’s there yet.
Chris Christie is less electable than Trump if you play that game, especially in New Hampshire. He is unpopular with Republican primary voters, and there is no getting around that.
As for Sununu, a few months ago, he said his mission was to beat Trump, and part of that task meant he needed to convince some of these candidates to get out. Mike Pence dropped out over the weekend, but he’s only giving up 1-4 points to someone who is not Donald Trump, and they – whoever they are – need something closer to 30 points to make it enjoyable.
I like interesting. It is better for the debate. But if anyone thinks Chris Sununu’s endorsement will stir things up in New Hampshire, they should be prepared to be disappointed unless he endorses Trump. As I noted here,
[I]f they want Trump to lose, Sununu needs to endorse him. Sununu endorsed Chuck Morse, and he lost, then supported the guy who beat Morse – Don Bolduc – who lost.
Sununu endorsed Geroge Hansel in the NH CD-2 primary, and he lost.
Sununu endorsed Matt Mowers, he lost.
Chris Sununu even endorsed people we thought would be good, like Rich Girard and Victoria Sullivan. They both lost. So, you see my point?
Governor Chris won’t be endorsing Trump. New Hampshire’s five families and the GOP DC establishment would divorce him. But I can’t see him not endorsing. He’s gotten too familiar with the idea of being invited on Corporate media talk shows to miss the opportunity to do it again.
