This Week with George Stephanopoulos: Gov. Chris Sununu
Interview
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Well, look -- yeah.
I do. I do. Look, my sense is, there's a lot of governors kind of sitting -- sitting on the sidelines saying, how does this all play out, just like most of the Republican bases. Like, there's a lot of time to go. We've only had one debate. We're just starting to talk about the issues. The candidates are really on the ground.
The fact that former President Trump is a former president, the leader of the party, and he doesn't even really have 50 percent of the Republican base support tells you there's a real problem there. That's actually an incredibly low number.
So, you have all these other candidates out there, eight -- seven -- seven, eight of them at this point. That field's going to keep winnowing down I think as -- as we've talked about a lot. If it gets to one on one, Trump and another candidate, that other candidate is undoubtedly going to beat him by the time the convention rolls around. So, if the candidates have the discipline to get out of the field, they'll get there.
As -- in terms of endorsements, look, again, if he's a former sitting incumbent president and the leader of the party and he only has four Republican governors behind him, that tells you there's a problem.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
No, I think it's time for everyone -- no, it won't be too late. I think it's important that everyone has a voice. I mean, and people can modulate and decide what that voice is going to be. Every state's a little bit different.
But everyone needs to be talking about where they stand, what issues their constituents are talking about. It's inflation. It's the border crisis. It's a lack of financial controls. It's all these things that were actually good ideas by the former president. He brought those ideas in, in "16, "17 and "18 and it didn't get done. It didn't get done.
So, we just need to find the conservative leader that can fulfill on the mission, that's all. And there's a lot of great opportunities in the field now.
So, I mean, voters really won't decide until -- who they're going to be voting for until maybe November, December timeframe. I mean, look, kids are getting back to school. We've all come off summer vacation.
You and I are in this mix almost every single day, but the average voter isn't. They'll -- they'll really start getting engaged as the October, November timeframe comes. And I think if you can get down to about six candidates by Iowa, three or four by New Hampshire, there's no doubt you'll have a one-on-one race going into Super Tuesday. And that's where the -- the former President Trump is really in trouble.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
I would think so, yes. Yes. I fully --
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Look, I'm not very good about being coy, you know.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
-- who I'm voting for, I'll let everybody know.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Well, I won't say there's a short list. I'm out there with all the candidates. I'm seeing kind of how they do the retail politics. I'm a big believer, good retail politics translate into good retail management. And that's what the White House needs, someone that understands what's happening in folks' everyday lives, as opposed to just watching the media all the time, right?
I mean I've got to tell you, when you're at these events, if you've been able to go to any of them, Jon, they're not asking about January 6th. People aren't asking questions about the indictments, they're asking about inflation, they're asking about border security, they"re asking about things and issues, mental health, the opioid crisis.
You know, I'm -- I'm blessed I'm in New Hampshire. We have the lowest poverty rate in the country. But people here are seeing the crisis in California. They're saying, what are you going to do about the mental health crisis, the homelessness crisis that the left wing agenda has completely, you know, ignored in places like California, because they're Americans, too?
So, we kind of look at the whole broad spectrum of what's happening across the country. Those are the questions that are being asked. I know the media just talks about January 6th and indictments, but let me tell you, the average voter isn't there right now. They're really looking at the issues that will impact them and their families.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Yes. Oh, without a doubt. I think -- look, I think Nikki Haley did very well. I think Vivek did what he needed to do. Everyone was talking about him the next day. I think Mike Pence looked incredibly strong.
I think Ron DeSantis did very well. I think he looked in the camera and looked presidential. He wasn't being attacked, so he just was hitting the questions head on. I think there's a lot of candidates there that have a lot of opportunity.
Doug Burgum, great governor of North Dakota, he's spending a lot of money. He got in the race a little late, but, boy, he's spending money. He's hitting the ground. And he talks the right issues.
So, I think there's still a lot of time and a lot of opportunities still to engage with the candidates.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Yes, Chris is doing a great job. Look, God bless Chris, man, he -- he kind of goes nuclear on the president and he's got his own style. His poll numbers are surging through the roof, especially here in New Hampshire, where he's putting -- he's putting time on the ground. He connects with folks. Again, he's a governor, right? I tend to be pretty partial to governors. Because what the White House needs more than ever is true, executive leadership. Someone who kind of says, the buck stops here.
The --the biggest problem that a lot of us Republican governors -- going back to your first question -- has with the former president was Fauci, right? Fauci. Every day we were on those calls and every day Fauci was there. And a lot of us kept saying, Mr. President, when are you getting rid of Fauci? He never did. He just kept putting Fauci out there as the voice of American on this stuff. And he's got to be held accountable to that, frankly.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
So, a lot of folks in the base will -- aren't forgetting those types of things.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Nor will the Democrat nominee be Joe Biden.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source