New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) vowed to help narrow the field of 2024 GOP presidential candidates in an effort to defeat former President Trump.
“As governor of the first-in-the-nation primary state, I will do everything I can to help narrow the field,” Sununu wrote in a New York Times op-ed. “I plan to endorse and campaign for the best alternative to Mr. Trump. As of now, it’s anyone’s for the taking.”
In an op-ed published Monday, Sununu wrote that the 2024 field needs to narrow to ensure that Trump is not the party’s nominee. He also encouraged candidates to attack Trump during the upcoming debate Wednesday, even as the former president has said he will not be in attendance.
“This week, Republican primary candidates for president will have a chance to make their case before a national audience — with or without Donald Trump on the debate stage,” Sununu said. “To win, they must break free of Mr. Trump’s drama, step out of his shadow, go on offense, attack, and present their case. Then they need to see if they can catch fire this fall — and if they can’t, they need to step aside, because winnowing down the field of candidates is the single best chance to stop Mr. Trump.”
“Too much is at stake for us to have wishful candidacies,” he added. “While the other Republican candidates are running to save America, Mr. Trump is running to save himself.”
He said that while GOP candidates Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) all have “compelling stories,” they must still show that they are willing “to take on Mr. Trump, show a spark, and not just defend him in absentia.” The New Hampshire governor also noted that while former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) has been effective at attacking Trump, he needs to broaden his message to gain momentum.
He also highlighted the importance of the New Hampshire primaries, noting that the winner of the GOP primary in the state has gone on to secure the nomination for the past 20 years.
“Once the voters of Iowa and New Hampshire are presented a clear alternative to Mr. Trump, his path forward darkens, and the Republican Party’s future begins to take shape,” he said. “The rest of the country needs to see not just that the emperor has no clothes, but that the Republican Party is able to refocus the conversation where it needs to be, on a nominee dedicated to saving America.”