CONCORD, N.H. (WCAX) – New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu is leaving the Statehouse after four terms in the corner office. But during his last term, he also spent a lot of time on the national stage which included a possible run for the White House.
“For about six months we looked at it. I traveled the country, talked to the other candidates, talked to the donor base,” said Sununu, R-New Hampshire.
Ultimately, he decided against a run for president and instead, became a vocal supporter of Nikki Haley. At that time, he said the former ambassador was a far better choice for Republicans.
“Definitely not a split with the national party, but maybe just with the national momentum that had been there,” Sununu said.
Haley won 45% of the vote in New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary, but the results all but sealed the nomination for Trump.
“No one likes to lose, right, so we have just lost the primary and I was obviously a big supporter of Nikki. No one likes to lose the race but elections are about choices,” he said.
Sununu would go on to endorse Trump, a move that seemed disingenuous to some since he was an outspoken critic of the former president on the campaign trail.
“You know, I used to get into some debates with the national media over the Trump thing, but I would say, ‘Look, you can try to shun me for voting for Trump but understand more than half your audience is going to vote for Trump,’” he said.
Stints appearing in the media along with work in the private sector will be in Sununu’s future.
“I think that will help scratch the political itch a little bit because I’m not here,” he said. “Just be able to talk about things and debate stuff and listen to the other side and, you know, stay involved.”
But he says a presidential run in 2028 or a bid for a U.S. Senate seat in 2026 is not in the cards.
“I could say I don’t have the temperament for Washington but I don’t think Washington has the temperament for me,” he said. “So, it’s probably best that we just kind of keep our distance there.”
Sununu says he also plans to be active again in New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary.
An interesting side note– I asked Sununu if he has spoken with Trump since his victory in November. He told me that he has not.