GOP 2024 presidential hopefuls pine for endorsement from a very surprising source

Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire remains a hot commodity for an endorsement in the crowded GOP presidential field – despite his outspoken opposition of Donald Trump, Fox News reported today.

Sununu, who announced June 5 that he won’t enter the GOP race, has been sought out by the dozen candidates challenging Trump as they campaign in the key state of New Hampshire, the report said. It highlighted a moment this week when Sununu introduced his former gubernatorial colleague, current GOP candidate Nikki Haley, at a fundraiser.

“After exchanging a hug, Haley kicked off her comments to the crowd by saying, ‘You’ve got a great governor,’” the report said. “With a joke that elicited plenty of laughter, she said, "Governor, I very much worry about your health. What I’m thinking is, I don’t want you to over-stress. I don’t want you to get out there and do too much. So, I think what’s best is, go ahead and endorse me now."

Haley is one of six former or current GOP governors who worked alongside of Sununu, it noted, adding, “They and the six other Republican presidential candidates who are also challenging Trump for the GOP nomination have been calling Sununu, or meeting with him when they’re campaigning in New Hampshire, asking for his advice and suggestions, and maybe even for his support down the road.”

The reporting also said:

“Besides Haley, in recent weeks former Vice President Mike Pence, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, ex-CIA spy and former Rep. Will Hurd of Texas and environmental lawyer and high-profile vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who’s primary-challenging President Biden for the Democratic nomination — have all met with Sununu. And three other candidates — Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and former Governors Chris Christie of New Jersey and Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas — huddled in-person with Sununu earlier this year.”

Sununu has said he’s open to making an endorsement in the race, unlike fellow Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is also popular in a key early primary state.

As Raw Story reported June 11 , Sununu has openly slammed Trump for the Mar-a-Lago documents scandal. Sununu called that scandal “severe” and “very self-inflicted.”

“Referring to Trump 2024 rival candidates, Sununu said, 'They have to come out and acknowledge this is different, this is serious,' adding, 'I just see too many of the candidates trying to walk around it — 'We'll see what happens.' … You're running against this guy. He's whopping you by 40 points. Everybody needs to come out in concert.'"

"So, it's not just Chris Christie hitting Donald Trump. … It is a party message. That is very, very important because Donald Trump doesn't represent the Republican Party. He only represents himself."