New Hampshire Governor Calls Out Republican Establishment in Austin Speech
In a fiery speech at the Texas Tribune Festival, New Hampshire Republican Governor Chris Sununu criticized the Republican establishment and took aim at former President Donald Trump. Speaking in the liberal city of Austin, Sununu made his stance clear, stating that Republicans will lose if Trump becomes the party’s nominee.
The festival, which features a lineup of political speakers and newsmakers, kicked off with Sununu as the keynote speaker. Other notable figures scheduled to speak include West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, former GOP Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and authors Nikole Hannah-Jones and Bari Weiss.
During a conversation with Texas Tribune co-founder Evan Smith, Sununu discussed an opinion piece in the New York Times that outlined strategies to eliminate Trump as the Republican nominee. Sununu, who has been labeled a Republican In Name Only (RINO), called Trump “too dumb to be a danger to democracy,” dismissing fears about his impact.
Sununu predicted that neither Trump nor President Joe Biden would secure their party’s nomination in the end. He also criticized fellow Republicans in Texas for acquitting Attorney General Ken Paxton, calling it “embarrassing” and stating that the evidence against Paxton was clear.
Former President Donald Trump speaks at the New Hampshire Republican State Committee’s Annual Meeting in Salem, N.H., on Jan. 28, 2023. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
While Sununu considered running for president in 2024, he ultimately decided to support the Republican nominee, even if it turned out to be Trump. However, when asked directly about supporting Trump, Sununu remained noncommittal.
Trump recently criticized Sununu as “selfish” for failing to build a full-service Veterans Affairs hospital in New Hampshire. Despite this, Sununu urged Republicans to look beyond Trump and nominate a candidate who can win in 2024, emphasizing the need to put aside selfish interests and ego.
Suspended Texas state Attorney General Ken Paxton (C) sits with his attorneys Tony Buzbee (L) and Mitch Little (R) as his impeachment trial continues in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol in Austin on Sept. 15, 2023. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)
According to polling, many Republican voters are open to supporting a new candidate, which could pose a challenge to Trump. Sununu also suggested that Biden could face difficulties with a Republican-launched impeachment inquiry in the U.S. House, citing issues such as inflation and rising credit card debt.
However, Sununu acknowledged that both Trump and Biden share responsibility for overspending that will burden future generations. He described himself as a principled free-market conservative with moderate social views.
While Sununu supports exploring alternative energy sources, he emphasized the importance of energy independence for a stable economy. He also noted that Republicans who take a hard line on social issues like abortion have not fared well in elections.
(L–R) President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, and Hunter Biden watch fireworks on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2023. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Sununu believes that abortion laws should be determined at the state level, in line with the U.S. Supreme Court’s guidance. He also opposed a parental rights bill in New Hampshire that would have required schools to notify parents about their child’s gender identity questions.
Lastly, Sununu criticized the approach of allowing homelessness to persist in big cities in the name of social justice, highlighting the issues faced on the streets.
What did Sununu say about Trump’s impact and the possibility of him becoming the Republican nominee
>In a recent speech at the Texas Tribune Festival, New Hampshire Republican Governor Chris Sununu made strong criticisms of the Republican establishment and former President Donald Trump. Speaking in the liberal city of Austin, Sununu firmly stated that if Trump becomes the party’s nominee, Republicans will lose.
The Texas Tribune Festival is a prominent event that features various political speakers and newsmakers. Sununu was invited as the keynote speaker, and other notable figures scheduled to speak include West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, former GOP Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and authors Nikole Hannah-Jones and Bari Weiss.
During a conversation with Texas Tribune co-founder Evan Smith, Sununu discussed an opinion piece in the New York Times that suggested strategies to eliminate Trump as the Republican nominee. Sununu, who has been labeled a Republican In Name Only (RINO), dismissed fears about Trump’s impact, calling him “too dumb to be a danger to democracy.”
Sununu went on to predict that neither Trump nor President Joe Biden would secure their party’s nomination in the end. He also criticized fellow Republicans in Texas for acquitting Attorney General Ken Paxton, describing it as “embarrassing” and stating that the evidence against Paxton was clear.
While Sununu considered running for president in 2024, he ultimately decided to support the Republican nominee, even if it turned out to be Trump. However, when directly asked about supporting Trump, Sununu remained noncommittal.
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