Chris Sununu offers key endorsement to Nikki Haley for GOP nomination

Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) endorsed former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley in the GOP presidential nomination, giving her a key boost in a crowded field of presidential hopefuls seeking to challenge former President Donald Trump to take on President Joe Biden in 2024.

Sununu said “We’re all in” for Haley during a town hall event in Manchester, New Hampshire. The endorsement is part of long-standing efforts by Sununu, who once considered a presidential bid of his own, to block Trump from clinching the nomination.

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Sununu has appeared alongside nearly all GOP candidates as he considered who to throw his support behind. His endorsement gives Haley a leg up on her challengers and comes as her poll numbers have improved over the last few months.

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The endorsement could also give Haley a boost over Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who has long been considered the strongest challenger to Trump since launching his presidential campaign earlier this year. Sununu’s endorsement deals a blow to the Florida governor in his efforts to defeat Haley for the No. 2 spot, especially with Sununu’s influence in a key primary state.

However, DeSantis has garnered his own high-profile endorsements that could help offset Sununu’s endorsement. Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) already threw her support behind DeSantis earlier this year, potentially giving him a boost when the state commences the party’s primary calendar next month.

Democrats were quick to respond to reports of Sununu’s endorsement of Haley on Tuesday, seeking to tie both Republicans to the former president.

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“No matter how much Nikki Haley or Chris Sununu try to spin Granite Staters, the reality is they’re both MAGA extremists who spent years cozying up to Donald Trump,” the New Hampshire Democratic Party said in a statement. “Both Sununu and Haley have signed extreme abortion bans with no exceptions for rape or incest, endorsed notorious election deniers like Don Bolduc, railed against crucial programs like the Affordable Care Act, and pushed tax cuts for the ultra rich that left working families behind. Let’s be absolutely clear: there’s nothing moderate, reasonable, or electable about their agenda.”

Haley currently sits in third among GOP candidates, according to polling averages compiled by FiveThirtyEight. Overall, an average of 11.3% of Republican voters say they’ll back Haley, following closely behind DeSantis, who sits at 12.2%. Trump holds a significant lead at 61.7%.