Governor Throws Seismic Monkey Wrench Into 2022 Election: Video

CONCORD, NH — It was being billed to be one of the biggest political races of the 2022 election cycle, possibly in the history of New Hampshire, that could give Republicans the opportunity to take back the U.S. Senate and stop, what some believe, is a political bullet train racing to change America from a Constitutional Republic to a European-style socialized democracy.

But it was not to be.

Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) announced on Tuesday he would seek a fourth term as governor and would not challenge first-term Senator, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), a former governor herself, in 2022.

The race was bound to be one of the most expensive and, potentially, nastiest races in New Hampshire history, never mind the nation (it was before it even started) — especially when considering what happened in 2016.

Nearly $94 million in special interest money alone flooded the airwaves and invaded the minds of voters when Hassan challenged then-first-term U.S. Sen. Kelley Ayotte. Dark money also flowed into the state, trouncing Ayotte by millions. She was also struck by a dirty tricks campaign — at least three political mailers, without disclaimers, were sent to many voters around the state falsely claiming Ayotte did not have the support of the NRA and voters should cast ballots for Aaron Day, a conservative independent, instead.

No one has ever been prosecuted for the mailers that violated both state and federal law but potentially drove tens of thousands of votes from Ayotte, who lost by 1,017 votes.

That said, the political world has changed since then a bit.

Sununu easily breezed to a re-election victory in 2020, besting state Sen. Dan Feltes, a Concord Democrat, by nearly a quarter of a million votes, besting his 2018 win by more than 40,000 votes against state Sen. Molly Kelly, and his race with Colin Van Ostern in 2016 for the open seat — which Sununu won by about 16,000 votes.

Sununu received more votes in 2020 than any other candidate in New Hampshire history and carried a lot of Republican down-ballot wins with him.

But the first sign Sununu might not be running became clear when he scheduled a press conference, with a 6:11 a.m. email, at a public building, the Bridges House, the ceremonial “governor’s mansion” on Concord’s East Side.

The historic building, once owned by former governor and U.S. Sen. Styles Bridges, is not usually used for political announcements; instead, annual public holiday fare, pre-COVID-19, like egg hunts and tree lightings as well as other events are held in the building and on the grounds. Political press conferences tend to be held in the Legislative Office Building or in a rented hall — and often feature candidates surrounded by family and cheerleading fans and supporters.

Sununu, in making the announcement, noted it was the first time, in many years in politics, he had held a political news conference to announce specific future plans.

While rattling off a litany of issues in Washington, D.C., including mandates, regulations, and executive orders, “that bypass right over Congress and hit home, right here,” Sununu admitted he was more of a manager and a leader than one of 100 who often watch initiatives and legislation crawl along like paint drying. It was, he said, “a much slower pace,” without a lot of the one-on-one problem-solving he was used to performing as governor. Sununu essentially suggested he would go bonkers doing that for a job.

There was, however, the temptation of being, potentially, “one of the best opportunities America has” to be the 51st vote in the U.S. Senate to stop the Democrats and, “what we all see as a losing agenda for America.” At the same time, campaigning full-time for Senate, something that a challenge to Hassan would require, positive poll numbers or not, would take away from his job in the corner office.

“I would rather push myself,” Sununu said, “120 miles per hour, delivering wins for New Hampshire than to slow down, end up on Capitol Hill, debating partisan politics, without results. I can be more effective doing that, in the corner office, here in the Granite State.”

Democrats Pounce

Without even breathing a sigh of relief that Hassan potentially might have token opposition next year as U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen had in 2020 when she was challenged by Republican Corky Messner — who Democrats easily targeted as a “carpetbagger,” nicknaming him “Colorado Corky,” a campaign which no number of millions of dollars spent or support from Sununu was going to save, Democrats pounced on the announcement.

In a flurry of emails from special interest groups like Planned Parenthood, which was sent out six minutes into the news conference, and American Bridge 21st Century, as well as the party’s leaders and rank-and-file members, Democrats bashed the governor.

“Looks like Chris Sununu realized what I’ve always known: Maggie Hassan has a record of delivering for New Hampshire — and beating Republicans year after year,” Ray Buckley, the chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, said. “Let’s be clear about why he didn’t run: his approval ratings are in free-fall after signing an abortion ban and completely mismanaging our state’s handling of the pandemic. He has never been so unpopular and so vulnerable, and he is in trouble. Granite Staters are sick and tired of Chris Sununu’s record of failure as Governor and I look forward to electing a Democratic Governor in 2022 who will do what Sununu has failed to do in five years: fight for Granite Staters.”

Kayla Montgomery, the vice president of public affairs for Planned Parenthood NH Action Fund, said, “From the Executive Council to the corner office, from defunding Planned Parenthood to signing New Hampshire’s first abortion ban in modern history, Chris Sununu has consistently chipped away at reproductive rights. It’s time to retire Sununu’s antiquated attacks on abortion access — not give him two more years to further restrict our reproductive freedom.”

Zandra Rice Hawkins of Granite State Progress said Sununu had failed to move the state toward “a stronger, healthier, and more inclusive New Hampshire,” while calling him “pro-extremism,” “anti-choice,” and claiming he supported white nationalism and had no problem “getting into bed with the most radical factions of his party.”

State Senate Democratic Leader Donna Soucy also pointed to the abortion ban but added she was not surprised Sununu would not run for Senate considering his “record of failure,” and inability to beat Hassan.

“I look forward to working with our Democratic candidates to reclaim the governor’s office and send Chris Sununu back to the private sector,” she said.

State Rep. Renny Cushing (D-Hampton), the Democratic House Leader, also chastised Sununu for vetoing 90 bills during the past five years, more than the previous 11 years combined. He called it an inability to work across the aisle.

“Chris Sununu uses his political office to push an agenda that benefits special interests, his donors, and himself at the expense of Granite Staters — and that’s exactly why he is running again for governor,” he said. “This weekend, New Hampshire hit COVID highs unseen since last January, and under Sununu’s leadership remains the least vaccinated state in New England and the only state in the country to reject millions in federal funds to end the pandemic.”

Sununu, however, when questioned about the number of vetoes, noted there were many more bills proposed in the last session than in prior years, bills he considered unacceptable.

While Sununu’s approval ratings have dropped a bit, his Senate numbers vs. Hassan were strong.

Polling data courtesy of Real Clear Politics.

Between July and October, according to the UNH Survey Center, a survey with a slightly higher sample of Democrat-leaning voters and not outside polling of the public, Sununu’s “strongly approve” and “somewhat approve” numbers have dropped by 2 percent each; “strongly disapprove” has risen by 6 points with “somewhat disapprove” also rising by 2 points.

Those are also much lower when his approval rating was over 80 percent at the height of the pandemic.

But when compared to when Sununu first took office, his overall approval rating is 9 percent higher. His disapproval, too, is 27 percent higher due to 42 percent of the survey having no opinion of him two months after taking office. That number is now at 6 percent. Sununu’s combined disapproval rating is at its highest — 40 percent, slightly above where it was, at its peak of 36 percent, in March 2020, when tens of thousands of people lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The state has been blanketed in recent weeks with millions and millions of dollars in ads, likening a late-term abortion ban to a total abortion ban. So, those ads were able to move the needle around 3 to 9 points. Negative advertising, as everyone knows, works.

And many Democrats, right out of the gate, began fundraising on his announcement, too, according to emails.

Other Reaction, Other Candidates

Sununu’s decision threw a monkey wrench into the plans of a lot of potential candidates while helping others.

Frank Edelblut, the commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Education, who barely lost to Sununu in the 2016 Republican primary, by about 1,000 votes, was rumored to be a candidate if Sununu ran for Senate.

Senate President Chuck Morse (R-Salem) has also been a name mentioned. He said he was “looking forward” to continuing to work closely with him.

“I have been proud to work closely with Governor Sununu for the past five years,” Morse said, “and of the tremendous success that we’ve achieved together including lowering taxes, creating jobs, getting through the pandemic, expanding school choice, and protecting our freedoms.”

Speaker of the House Sherm Packard (R-Londonderry) called Sununu “a seasoned veteran when it comes to the issues and unique challenges that face our state and knows how to get the job done” and had worked to assist families with school choice and return money to communities.

“When he earns back the corner office, I look forward to working with him to ensure New Hampshire continues to thrive,” he said.

Polling data courtesy of Real Clear Politics.

Former Gen. Don Bolduc applauded Sununu’s decision, saying making New Hampshire his top priority “speaks volumes about his commitment to the state he has faithfully served for three terms, and his leadership has proven invaluable.” But, he added, change in Washington was needed.

“For months now, I have been building Granite State support for my campaign for U.S. Senate,” he said. “Maggie Hassan is simply out of touch with New Hampshire voters and is just a rubber stamp for Chuck Schumer, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and their failing policies. New Hampshire deserves better."

Polling data courtesy of Real Clear Politics.

Sununu was asked about Ayotte, too, and commended her role as a Senator and called her a good friend.

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