Governor Chris Sununu has decided to kill the presidential aspirations of Nikki Haley, not that she hasn’t tried to do that herself. Sununu endorsed her as his pick for President this week, just six weeks before New Hampshire’s First in the Nation Primary.
I’m confident that the Sununu homers think Haley is just dreamy. She has that DC political elite insider vibe. Darling Nikki also has the Neocon donor class money, but I’m unsure how many Sununu homers have already picked someone else. Not everyone waited that long, and Chris Christi is getting his support from somewhere. He has passed DeSantis in at least one poll.
(Related: Night Cap: Why Nikki Haley Is The Neoliberals’ Favorite Republican)
Trafalgar Group, with whom I’m unfamiliar, released a sampling yesterday showing Trump still way ahead at 45%, Haley at 18, Christie at 14, DeSantis at 11, Ramaswamy at 10, and Hutchinson at 0%.
Haley could do well here if Independents buy in on the Sununu Schtick, but while we’re on the subject.
Haley and Sununu are milking the moment, but Sununu slipped up. As he rambles down the list of everyone who needs to vote for Haley, he starts to say ‘Democrats,’ then catches himself. Too late.
Nikki Haley and Chris Sununu are bringing a whole new meaning to the term ‘Republican in Name Only,’ by encouraging Democrat voters and Democrat donors to help decide the Republican nominee. Chris Sununu knows Democrats can’t vote in the Republican primary—it’s illegal! Granite… pic.twitter.com/WmPT0fJZh2
— MAGA War Room (@MAGAIncWarRoom) December 13, 2023
Democrats meddling in NH primaries is a contentious topic, so take that however you’d like, but the point Sununu is trying to make is this. Haley can’t win the Republican nomination with Republicans. She needs anyone with a heartbeat to make it to the polls.
What’s next, Chris? Asking out-of-state tuition-paying college kids to vote for Haley? It’s not like you’ve tried to prevent them from meddling in our elections. Maybe start an edibles for Haley get out the vote drive. You will have to compete with Dems trying to get them to write in Biden. They should write in Hunter Biden, but let’s not get lost on that point again.
Don’t expect much. Haley’s base is shared with Christie and DeSantis to a much smaller degree. Ramaswamy isn’t so much a not-Trump. Vivek has been working the DC outsider lane, picking up people who like the idea of Trump (disruptor) but can’t yet openly support the real thing.
The fun begins in Iowa in five weeks and in New Hampshire the week after, and it will likely be over on paper by early March.
I expect Chris Sununu to be disappointed, but he stuck to his promise (for a change) and refused to endorse Trump, which I’ve said would have done more to advance his goal than picking anyone else.
The primary clock is ticking.