New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R), the leading supporter of Nikki Haley in New Hampshire, is managing expectations for the former UN ambassador in the upcoming first-in-the-nation primary next week.
Sununu said in an interview with ABC News, “We always wanted to have a strong second. That’s the only expectation we ever laid out there.”
NEW: @ChrisSununu just said Nikki Haley "always wanted to have a strong second" in New Hampshire. “That's the only expectation we ever laid out,” he claims.
Sununu previously promised Haley would “win in a landslide.”
Roll the tape. pic.twitter.com/IEmWUskQyc
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) January 18, 2024
That statement doesn’t align with what the governor conveyed to the audience in Londonderry on January 3rd.
He initially stated that their objective had always been to secure a robust second-place finish. However, he then confidently asserted, “We’ve got that wrapped up, guys. We’re gonna win.”
Regarding his outlook for Haley in the January 23rd contest, Sununu informed Fox News on Wednesday night, “I am not predicting anything.” He went on to add, “I think she could win. We’ve already exceeded expectations in terms of a one-on-one race. A strong second is going to be great. It’s going to be hard.”
New Hampshire is widely regarded as Haley’s prime opportunity to impede former President Donald Trump’s smooth path to securing the Republican nomination later this year. This perspective is particularly reinforced following her third-place finish in the Iowa caucus on Monday, trailing behind Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
Matt Wolking, the Strategic Communications Director for the DeSantis-affiliated Super PAC Never Back Down, wasted no time in spotlighting previous statements from Sununu where he expressed optimism about Haley’s chances.
Last month, Sununu asserted, “It’s an absolute win. No, it’s a win and a reset button. If everyone that could vote in the primary comes out and votes, she’s gonna win in a landslide, and that’s not an exaggeration.”
As of Thursday, Trump was maintaining an average of 46.3% support in New Hampshire, with Haley following at 33.5% and DeSantis at 6.0%, according to RealClearPolitics.
The departures of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy from the race are anticipated to boost Haley and Trump. Although Christie hasn’t endorsed any candidate yet, Ramaswamy has strongly thrown his support behind Trump and actively campaigned for him in New Hampshire.
Simultaneously, Trump has intensified his criticisms of Haley, alleging that she was “counting on the Democrats and liberals to infiltrate your Republican primaries.”
In response, Haley has fired back, condemning Trump for sowing “chaos and drama.” She has also drawn attention to his deficiencies on conservative issues, particularly his role in increasing the national debt.
