- Chris Sununu (R-NH) announced he would not run for Senate in 2024, choosing instead to finish his fourth gubernatorial term — a decision that shaped the competitive New Hampshire Senate race won by Democrat Maggie Goodlander.
- He won four gubernatorial terms in New Hampshire — most recently in 2022 by 16 points — one of the most successful Republican executives in a blue-to-purple state who governed as a fiscal conservative while opposing some MAGA positions.
- New Hampshire is a genuine battleground — Sununu won his 2022 race while Biden had won the state in 2020, demonstrating the same ticket-splitting pattern that characterizes New Hampshire's independent voter base.
- Sununu has been a vocal Trump critic within the Republican Party — endorsing Nikki Haley in the 2024 primary before eventually backing Trump in the general election, representing the Northeastern moderate Republican tradition that is increasingly rare in the national party.
Electoral History
| Year | Race | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | NH Governor | Won | +2 pts (narrow win, swing state) |
| 2018 | NH Governor (reelection) | Won | +7 pts (Dem wave year) |
| 2020 | NH Governor (reelection) | Won | +33 pts (Biden won NH same day) |
| 2022 | NH Governor (reelection) | Won | +15 pts |
| 2023–24 | 2024 Presidential Exploratory | Did not enter race | Withdrew before filing |
Biography
Christopher Thomas Sununu was born on October 24, 1974, in Salem, New Hampshire, the son of former New Hampshire Governor John H. Sununu and younger brother of former U.S. Senator John E. Sununu. Political life is the family business: his father served as governor of New Hampshire and then as White House Chief of Staff under President George H.W. Bush, making Chris Sununu the most prominent political scion in New England Republican politics.
He attended MIT, graduating in 1997 with a degree in civil engineering. He went into the private sector in consulting and environmental engineering before entering New Hampshire's Executive Council, a five-member body with oversight authority over the governor's administration, in 2011. His time on the Executive Council gave him unusual exposure to the details of state governance before he ever ran for the top office.
Sununu ran for governor in 2016 in what appeared to be a difficult year for Republicans in New Hampshire — Hillary Clinton was running strongly nationally and the state had been trending Democratic. He won by just 2 points. His governing style proved popular almost immediately: he positioned as a pro-business, fiscally conservative Republican who was more moderate on social issues than the national party, opposing strict abortion bans and supporting LGBTQ protections in some areas. He was reelected in 2018 despite the Democratic wave, winning by 7 points in a year when Republicans were losing governor's races across the country.
His 2020 performance was arguably the most impressive: he won by 33 points in New Hampshire on the same day that Joe Biden carried the state in the presidential race. The ticket-splitting was extraordinary and demonstrated a level of individual popularity that transcended partisan alignment. He won a fourth term in 2022 by 15 points.
Throughout his tenure, Sununu was one of the most outspoken Republican governors willing to publicly criticize Trump. A 2022 Gridiron dinner recording revealed him calling Trump "f***ing crazy" and questioning the loyalty demanded by MAGA politics. He flirted seriously with a 2024 presidential run, traveled to early states, and built donor relationships as an explicit anti-Trump candidate. He ultimately decided not to enter the race in late 2023, then endorsed Trump after the primary field narrowed — a reversal that generated significant criticism from those who had hoped he would mount a genuine anti-Trump campaign. He chose not to seek a fifth term as governor in 2024.
Key Policy Positions
Fiscal Conservatism
New Hampshire has no state income tax and no sales tax, a tradition Sununu vigorously defended. He signed multiple state budget cuts, opposed federal spending mandates, and governed in the tradition of Yankee fiscal conservatism: keep government small, keep taxes low, don't tell people how to live. This is his natural electoral base and his clearest governing record.
Social Moderation
Notably more moderate than most Republican governors on social issues. He has supported some LGBTQ protections, avoided the most restrictive abortion positions, and declined to culture-war on issues like transgender policy in the way DeSantis or Abbott did. This moderation is his strongest asset in a general election and his biggest liability in a Republican base.
Anti-Populism
Skeptical of economic populism from both parties. Opposed to large subsidies, industrial policy, and trade protectionism. His criticism of Trump was rooted partly in opposition to Trump's economic nationalist approach, which Sununu sees as incompatible with genuine fiscal conservatism. He represents an older, free-market Republican tradition that has struggled for purchase in the current party.
2028 Presidential Outlook
Sununu's 2028 case is straightforward: he is one of the most electorally successful Republicans of the past decade, winning four consecutive terms in a state that voted for Biden and regularly elects Democrats to federal office. His ability to split tickets — winning by 33 points while Trump lost the state — is a genuine data point about cross-partisan appeal that most Republicans cannot match.
The problem is the Republican base electorate. Sununu's social moderation, his willingness to criticize Trump, and his rejection of economic populism all put him at odds with the base of a party that has moved sharply in the opposite direction. His 2023 decision not to enter the 2024 race, followed by his Trump endorsement, damaged his credibility as an anti-establishment alternative without making him credible as a MAGA supporter. It was a neither-here-nor-there positioning that satisfied no one.
His 2028 path is narrow but not nonexistent. If the Republican Party has a serious post-Trump reckoning — particularly if a Vance-led ticket loses in 2028 — there may be demand for a candidate who can actually win New Hampshire, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in a general election. Sununu would be that candidate's archetype. But in a Republican base that is still organized around MAGA loyalty, the moderate lane that Sununu occupies has consistently proven unable to consolidate enough support to be competitive.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many terms did Chris Sununu serve as New Hampshire governor?
Four two-year terms, from January 2017 through January 2025. He won in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022, declining to seek a fifth term in 2024. His 2020 win by 33 points while Biden carried NH on the same day remains one of the more remarkable ticket-splitting performances in recent state politics.
What is Chris Sununu's relationship with Donald Trump?
He was one of the most outspoken Republican critics of Trump, reportedly calling him "f***ing crazy" at a 2022 dinner. He flirted with a 2024 anti-Trump presidential run but never entered the race, then endorsed Trump — a reversal widely criticized as political opportunism that satisfied neither camp.
Is Chris Sununu considering a 2028 presidential run?
He has not ruled it out. With his governorship complete, Sununu has political freedom to position for a national run. His electoral record in a swing states is his strongest asset, but his path through a Republican primary remains very difficult given his social moderation and history of Trump criticism.
