Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire on Tuesday threw his support behind Nikki Haley’s 2024 presidential bid, giving the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations a likely boost more than a month from the state’s first-in-the-nation primary.
Mr. Sununu said Ms. Haley, who also served as governor of South Carolina, is best positioned to stop former President Donald Trump from winning the GOP presidential nomination and to lead the party to victory next year.
“This is an opportunity for New Hampshire to lead this country, for New Hampshire to say we’re not looking in the rearview mirror anymore,” Mr. Sununu said at a town hall event in Manchester.
He also had a direct message for Mr. Trump, thanking him for his service but saying, “Mr. President, we’re moving on.
“This is New Hampshire, and we go forward,” Mr. Sununu said.
Mr. Sununu steps in as Ms. Haley’s biggest surrogate in New Hampshire, where she has climbed in the polls.
She is betting that a stronger-than-expected finish in the Jan. 23 New Hampshire primary can shake up the race.
Ms. Haley’s campaign immediately blasted out a fundraising email, looking to cash in on the news.
“This is a monumental endorsement and we couldn’t be more proud to have earned his support,” the Haley campaign said. “Right now, all eyes are on Nikki’s campaign, and with just over a month left until voting begins, we need your support now more than ever.
Ms. Haley also recently received the backing of the conservative group Americans for Prosperity, adding to the sense that she has momentum.
Mr. Trump, however, mocked the idea she is gaining steam, saying it is “FAKE NEWS!”
“Where’s the surge? Nikki and Ron are losing ground, not gaining ground,” Mr. Trump said Tuesday on Truth Social. “I’m beating them by record numbers, 50 and 60 points. The only surge is that she is inching up on him for second place.”
The most recent poll out of New Hampshire — conducted by The Washington Post and Monmouth University last month — found Ms. Haley running second, 18%, behind Mr. Trump at 46%. Former New Jersey Gov. Christie (11%), businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (8%) and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (7%) rounded out the top spots.
Mr. Sununu had been mulling over an endorsement for weeks and had considered backing Mr. DeSantis and Mr. Christie. The governor is not a fan of Mr. Ramaswamy, the former biotech investor who is running a Trump-inspired campaign.
Mr. Ramaswamy last month downplayed the impact of Mr. Sununu’s support, saying he is the “face of the establishment” and his endorsement is the “kiss of death to whichever candidate gets it, and so I will be dodging that.”
Mr. Sununu’s endorsement highlights the struggle anti-Trump Republicans have had uniting behind a single alternative to Mr. Trump. Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa, who also is beloved among Republicans in her state, came off the sidelines weeks ago to endorse Mr. DeSantis.
Mr. Christie, meanwhile, has faced mounting questions over whether he is boosting Mr. Trump’s chances by sticking in the race.
The question now is whether either of the endorsements matters in a race that Mr. Trump has dominated.
An NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll of Iowa voters released this week showed Mr. Trump with a 30-point lead over his closet rivals.
It also found that 54% of likely caucusgoers said Ms. Reynolds’ backing of Mr. DeSantis will not influence their vote, and 31% said it makes them more likely to vote for the Florida Republican.
* This story is based in part on wire reports.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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