New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) slammed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) Thursday.
While at the the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute’s Reagan Institute Summit on Education (RISE) Thursday, Sununu noted mostly friendly relations among state governors but said in his eight years in his current role “there’s really only been two, maybe a third, but two real governors that really nobody liked.” He was then pressed on who those governors were.
“Andrew Cuomo,” Sununu responded. “Complete jacka‑‑, no one likes him. And I gotta — and I gotta be honest, I — no one cares for Gavin. Gavin’s just a prick.”
Sununu said even Democrats dislike Newsom, but “they won’t tell you out loud.” However, he also noted positive relationships with Democratic governors like Oregon’s Tina Kotek and New Jersey’s Phil Murphy.
“There is absolutely nothing Tina and I probably agree with politically, but she’s a wonderful person,” Sununu said. “I think she’s — she’s really great… I call her my favorite West Coast governor. You know, Phil Murphy in New Jersey, right? Phil Murphy and I get along great, we really do. He’s got this amazing sense of humor.”
Sununu, who has often been a critic of former President Trump and supported former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the GOP presidential primaries before she dropped out, said in March that he would support the former president as his party’s nominee.
“I’m going to support the ticket. I’m going to support Donald Trump, but my focus is definitely going to be here in the state,” he said.
Sununu, however, did not take back his criticism of Trump that included calling him a “loser” and going after his age.
“Look, I don’t take any of that back, to be sure,” Sununu said. “But again, understand this is an alternative. I mean, the alternative is [President Biden.] And I think where folks are seeing a lack of management, a lack of understanding what’s happening with immigration, a lack of fiscal responsibility.”
In an emailed statement to The Hill, Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said: “It’s nice to see they feel the same way about each other.”
The Hill has reached out to Cuomo and Newsom.