New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu suggested Sunday that Chris Christie should drop out of the 2024 presidential race before his state’s primary, declaring the former New Jersey governor has reached a “dead end.”
Quick Read
- Governor Sununu Suggests Chris Christie Should Exit 2024 Race: New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu has suggested that Chris Christie should drop out of the 2024 presidential race before the New Hampshire primary, believing Christie has hit a “dead end.”
- Sununu Endorses Nikki Haley: Sununu, endorsing former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in the Republican primary, believes she is the only candidate capable of challenging Donald Trump effectively.
- Sununu on CNN’s “State of the Union”: On CNN’s “State of the Union,” Sununu stated that “the only person that wants Chris Christie to stay in the race is Donald Trump,” highlighting Christie’s slim chances of making significant gains in the polls.
- Haley Seen as Strong Challenger to Trump: Sununu believes Haley can gain five to 10 points and potentially defeat Trump, a scenario he sees as increasingly likely.
- Christie Campaign’s Response: A spokesperson for Christie’s campaign didn’t directly address Sununu’s comments about Christie’s prospects but emphasized the importance of truth and addressing significant problems.
- Criticism of Haley’s Civil War Comment: GOP presidential hopefuls, including Christie, have criticized Haley for not initially mentioning slavery as a cause of the Civil War during a New Hampshire town hall, though she later clarified her remarks.
- Sununu Downplays Haley’s Mistake: Sununu acknowledged Haley’s error but dismissed it as a “nonissue,” noting that she quickly clarified her statement.
- Sununu Opposes Removing Trump from Ballots: Sununu warned against removing Trump from the 2024 primary ballots in Maine and Colorado, arguing it would only bolster his “victim card” narrative in the presidential race.
- Trump’s Legal Team to Appeal Ballot Decisions: Trump’s legal team is expected to appeal the decisions to remove him from the primary ballots, based on the 14th Amendment, in both Colorado (to the US Supreme Court) and Maine (in state court).
- 14th Amendment’s Role in Disqualifying Officials: The 14th Amendment, ratified post-Civil War, states that officials who have engaged in insurrection are disqualified from future office. However, its enforcement and applicability to the presidency remain unclear.
- Sununu Wants Trump on All Ballots: Sununu expressed his desire for Trump to be on the ballot in all 50 states, so that Nikki Haley has the opportunity to defeat him nationwide.
Reuters has the story:
New Hampshire GOP Gov. Chris Sununu suggests Chris Christie should drop White House bid
Newslooks- Reuters
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu suggested Sunday that Chris Christie should drop out of the 2024 presidential race before his state’s primary, declaring the former New Jersey governor has reached a “dead end.”
Sununu, who has endorsed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the Republican primary, said On CNN’s “State of the Union” that “the only person that wants Chris Christie to stay in the race is Donald Trump.”
“I think all these candidates know it’s always kind of a long shot. And at the end of the day the only person moving is Nikki Haley. Chris Christie isn’t going to make up 30 points in the next three weeks, right?” Sununu said.
Haley, Sununu added, is the candidate who “can make up five or 10 points and kind of give Trump that defeat that no one thought was possible in the next few weeks. And I think that’s very likely to happen. So, again, I think the voters are going to come Nikki’s way. I think, ultimately, hopefully, Chris comes Nikki’s way. But that’s really a decision for Chris to make.”
A Christie campaign spokesperson did not specifically address Sununu’s suggestion that the campaign has no path forward, but said in a statement to CNN: “The events of the last few days fully solidifies the point that Christie has been making for six months. That the truth matters and if you can’t answer the easy questions you can’t fix the big problems.”
Sununu’s comments come as Christie and other GOP presidential hopefuls lean into their criticism of Haley’s failure to mention slavery as a cause of the Civil War at a New Hampshire town hall and subsequent effort to clean up her answer.
Sununu acknowledged it was a mistake, but cast it as a “nonissue.”
“She cleared it up quickly, right? Obviously, if something needs to be cleared up a little bit, you wish you had said it a little differently the first time, but it was quickly cleared up,” he said. “It’s an absolute nonissue.”
Turning to the GOP frontrunner, Sununu warned that former President Donald Trump’s removal from the 2024 primary ballots in Maine and Colorado only serves to aid his “victim card” posture in the presidential race.
“This would only … boost his opportunity to play that victim card down the road as we hit the primaries. It’s not helpful at all, and I just don’t think it’s right,” he said.
Trump’s legal team is expected to appeal the two decisions, based on the 14th Amendment, to remove him from the primary ballots on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the plans.
Trump would appeal the Colorado ruling to the US Supreme Court and the Maine secretary of state’s decision in state court.
The 14th Amendment, which was ratified after the Civil War, says US officials who take an oath to uphold the Constitution are disqualified from holding future office if they “engaged in insurrection” or have “given aid or comfort” to insurrectionists.
However, the Constitution does not spell out how to enforce the ban, and the vague phrasing has led to questions about whether it even applies to the presidency.
Sununu said Sunday he wants Trump on the ballot in “all 50 states” so that “Nikki Haley can beat him in all 50 states.”
