Donald Trump expressed evident frustration with Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire after Sununu endorsed his rival, Nikki Haley.
“I didn’t like your governor very much,” Trump vented at a rally in the nation’s first primary state Saturday, drawing boos from the audience. “He’s like a spoiled brat.”
Sununu, a well-liked Republican governor in a traditionally Democratic-leaning state since 2004, granted his sought-after endorsement to Nikki Haley last week. Sununu refrained from endorsing Trump, citing concerns about the candidate facing over 90 felonies and accusing him of causing “chaos and distraction.” Despite being the clear frontrunner in New Hampshire, Trump criticized Sununu, labeling him a “selfish guy” for opting out of the 2022 Senate race.
For a considerable time, Republicans endeavored to persuade Sununu to challenge the incumbent Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH). However, he ultimately decided that the Senate was a forum for “debating partisan politics without results.” Opting to run for governor, Sununu endorsed retired Brigadier Gen. Don Bolduc, who ultimately lost to Hassan.
“We put some guy up there nobody had ever heard of,” Trump complained at the rally, held in Durham, NH.
Trump had previously expressed anger over Sununu’s endorsement of Haley on Truth Social.
“Chris Sununu could have run for the Senate in New Hampshire and WON, but no, he wanted to run for President and, without announcing, did. Sadly for him, he got ZERO traction, and went back to being Governor,” Trump said.
“Very selfish! Now he is unelectable in his own State, and can back Nikki, who has no chance of winning.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who competed for Sununu’s endorsement said,
“Unlike some people running, if someone doesn’t endorse me, I’m not going to go trash them. Chris is a good guy, he’s done a good job. And I’m going to continue to say that. He’s a really good campaigner,” DeSantis told CNN.
