(LibertySons.org) – New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) counted on support from then-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) to help him win the New Hampshire gubernatorial race. The two have shared similar moderate politics and friendship for more than a decade. Yet, on Tuesday, November 11, former South Carolina Gov. and current candidate for the GOP nomination, Nikki Haley (R), stole Sununu’s endorsement out from under Christie’s nose.
Christie told reporters he would have welcomed Sununu’s support, but he claimed the lack of the endorsement “doesn’t change [his] strategy here one bit.” Christie added that he knew precisely the significance the Granite State’s governor’s endorsement would have had on his campaign. “It meant one vote.”
After making his endorsement on Tuesday evening, Sununu took questions from reporters. One asked whether he thought Christie should get out of the primary race. The White Mountain State governor answered that he thought all other candidates, including former President Donald Trump, should get out of the race and clear the way for Haley. However, he conceded, “They’re going to keep campaigning.”
Responding to Sununu’s comment, Christie said the New Hampshire governor should know better. He chastised his friend, saying that he could support whomever he wanted, “but it’s not his job to tell anybody when it’s time to get out of the race.” The former New Jersey governor made it clear he had no intention of leaving the race.
Jim Merrill, a GOP strategist who isn’t currently working for any candidate, evaluated the situation. He told POLITICO that although Christie had performed well in the debates, losing the endorsement put him in a critical position because he had anchored his campaign in New Hampshire, and if the governor, a friend, decided not to support him, it left a path forward in question.
Utah Sen. Mitt Romney (R) stopped short of endorsing any of the candidates, saying his endorsement represented “the kiss of death.” While he praised Christie for his campaign and his participation in the GOP primary debates, he suggested Haley was the only one who might beat Trump in the primary. Haley has continued to climb in recent polls, fighting Florida Governor Ron Desantis for a distant second place behind Trump.
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