Sununu previews potential presidential bid, says Americans are ‘looking for results’

Washington – Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who is considering a bid for the White House in 2024, pitched his proposal to voters on Sunday, promoting the “New Hampshire model” of leadership and saying the American people “are looking for results.” .”

In an interview with “Face the Nation,” Sununu denounced the “stupidity” in D.C. and said the American people are “tired of extreme candidates” and partisan gridlock. Instead, he believes voters are looking for a presidential candidate with a proven track record of leadership.

“What I’m trying to do is sort of show the New Hampshire model, show the ability to do anything,” Sununu told “Face the Nation.” “I’ve had Republicans in my legislature, I’ve had Democrats in my legislature, I always follow my conservative agenda. We always cut taxes, we always balance the budget. And I can explain to people in Washington what a balanced budget really means. So there’s ways. And I think America is looking for results. We need results-oriented leadership.”

Sununu, who was re-elected to a fourth term as New Hampshire’s governor in November, touted his state’s motto of “Live Free or Die” and said it represents an agenda of limited government, local control and individual responsibility, where power is devolved from Washington.

“You have to be able to deliver and you have to hopefully be inspirational and hopeful as opposed to all this negativity that you see,” he said.

If Sununu seeks the GOP nomination in 2024, he will join a potentially crowded field of GOP presidential candidates, including former President Donald Trump. Sununu could also be one of several candidates with gubernatorial experience, like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley are considered likely candidates for the presidency.

Sununu has sought to draw a distinction between himself and his potential Republican opponents, criticizing those — though not by name — who have punished companies they say have adopted so-called “woke” business practices and succumbed to “cancellation culture.”

“When we’re trying to defeat Democrats in big government authoritarianism, remember what’s going to happen,” he said. “Eventually, they will get power in the state or in office, and then they will start punishing conservative businesses, conservative nonprofits, and conservative ideas. This is the worst precedent in the world.”

At least one Republican governor, DeSantis, also tried to impose new restrictions at local school districts and last year approved a slate of school board candidates who share his agenda. DeSantis’ involvement comes after Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, made parental control of education a cornerstone of his 2021 gubernatorial campaign.

Sununu said he sought to remind his fellow Republicans about federalism and the free market, and denounced the “culture of awakening cancellation” and culture wars that many in the GOP have embraced.

“It’s a divide that we see not only in our schools, but in our communities, where it’s me versus you. Whereas, if you don’t follow my ideals, I’m going to exclude you. It’s us against them. .It’s this binary file where everything is war,” he said. “This is a cultural problem that we need to solve in America, and it starts with good leadership, good messaging, more hope and optimism, but government never solves a cultural problem.”

Sununu urged Republicans to put forth a vision of what they stand for, rather than focusing their campaigns on criticism of President Biden and Democrats.

“It drives me crazy when Republicans talk in an echo chamber about how bad the president and the Democrats are. We got the memo as Republicans,” he said. “You must be on to something.”