Nikki Haley will not drop out of the GOP primary race despite consecutive losses to former President Trump, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) said Wednesday in response to Republican National Committee (RNC) chair Ronna McDaniel.
Sununu pushed back on McDaniel on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday for suggesting the Republican Party should coalesce behind Trump after his victory in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday. Sununu said the GOP needs to hear from Republican voters across the country before uniting behind one nominee.
“With all due respect to Ronna McDaniel, to say that we’re just going to call it after two states … 40 states to go, the head of the Republican Party saying we don’t want to hear from all the other Republicans in the nation because it’s getting too close, that’s nonsense. You got to let the voters decide, not a bunch of political elites out of D.C.,” Sununu said Wednesday.
Trump was projected to win the New Hampshire primary Tuesday with 54.5 percent of the vote, according to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ. Haley, who is the only major challenger to Trump remaining in the race, came in second place with 43.4 percent.
Sununu endorsed Haley for the GOP nomination last year and has since been a strong surrogate for her on the campaign trail. Despite losing the Granite State, Sununu expressed confidence the former South Carolina governor can gain momentum ahead of her home state’s primary next month.
“For these elitists to say, oh, we’re just going to stop right now as Nikki is surging, we’re just going to stop and call it a day for the incumbent, who effectively don’t — that’s not the process,” Sununu said.
“And it’s not fair to all the Republicans in 48 other states that have a vote, have a say. You guys don’t pick the winner. Ronna doesn’t. And I sure as heck don’t, the voters do. So, let’s let it play out,” he said.
Sununu also called on the party to not back the “weakest candidate,” which he said is Trump.
“Let’s start with not — not nominating the weakest of the candidates, the guy that might be a nailbiter with Joe Biden. Let’s get behind Nikki Haley who beats Joe Biden by double digits, that wins New Hampshire, which Trump can’t do, that wins swing states, which Trump can’t do. So, let’s start there, not supporting the weakest candidate,” Sununu said.