By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
DOVER – Saying it’s the best job he ever had and that he may regret his decision in the future, Gov. Chris Sununu told reporters Wednesday he will not seek a historic fifth term as governor.
Sununu spoke at the Henry Law Park in Dover following the Governor and Executive Council meeting Wednesday at the Rotary Arts Pavilion. The meeting was held outside in sweltering heat.
“So in a lot of respects I don’t believe I will have an opportunity like this again,” Sununu said. “I’m pretty convinced that I will walk away from this and say, ‘oh, I wish I had stayed on there is nothing, not like this…”
He said there is no “next.”
“What’s next is I go back to work,” Sununu said. “I’m still governor for 18 months.”
“Well look, the state is obviously in great shape, we’ve got a great team. Four terms is a lot to be sure…It’s been great,” Sununu said.
Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington, D-Concord, who is running as a Democrat for governor, said it’s a good day for New Hampshire. Democratic Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig is also running for governor.
Minutes after Sununu announced he wasn’t running, former Republican State Senate President Chuck Morse threw his hat in the ring. In 2022 Morse was a candidate for U.S. Senate but came in second in the Republican primary to Don Bolduc.
“Now that he’s decided not to run for re-election, I’m announcing that I am running for governor to build on those successes,” Morse said on Twitter. “Year in and year out New Hampshire ranks among the best states to live in. It’s not an accident and it’s not luck either.”
Reaction to Sununu’s decision was swift. Sununu has already said he will not run for President of the United States.
Executive Director Meghan Meehan-Draper of the Democratic Governors Association said:
“Gov. Chris Sununu’s announcement that he is not running is a massive RGA recruitment failure that will kick off a nasty, extreme and expensive Republican primary for governor — pitting one MAGA extremist against another. Not only have Granite State voters consistently rejected that type of division and chaos, but after four terms of Sununu’s failures on worsening problems — like the housing crisis, attacks on public education and harmful abortion restrictions — they know it’s time for a change.
“No matter which MAGA candidate becomes the nominee, the DGA is eager to hold them accountable to flip this seat and elect a new Democratic governor who will at long last fix the biggest issues impacting working families.”
Republican Governors Association Chair Governor Kim Reynolds thanked Sununu for his leadership.
“Governor Chris Sununu has been a tireless leader for the Granite State over his four terms as New Hampshire’s Governor, and we thank him for his incredible record of service.
“Governor Sununu never backed down from a challenge, he made it a priority to deliver balanced budgets, lower taxes, improve education, and address substance use disorders for New Hampshire citizens. And, thanks to Governor Sununu’s leadership, New Hampshire now ranks number one in the nation for personal freedom. I look forward to seeing the work he continues over these next two years.
“The RGA is committed to ensuring the Granite State continues to have the leadership of a Republican Governor who will prioritize the health, safety and prosperity of the people of New Hampshire,” Reynolds said.
New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley said:
“This announcement today marks an inflection point for our state. We can begin to turn back the clock on the damaging policies enacted under Chris Sununu’s tenure.
“Sununu’s legacy is marked by some of the highest electricity rates, rising housing costs, and property taxes in the nation. Sununu signed the first modern abortion in New Hampshire history and, under his leadership, we emerged as the only state in New England without affirmative protections for abortion rights. As he continued to fail Granite Staters, Sununu’s impact on the state can also be observed in his role leading the rapidly shrinking Republican legislative majority in the State House, whose extreme legislation and behavior have become the frequent target of late-night talk shows,” Buckley said.
Kayla Montgomery, Vice President of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund, said:
“Over a decade in politics, Chris Sununu has defunded Planned Parenthood, vetoed legislation to reduce financial barriers to abortion care, signed New Hampshire’s first abortion ban in modern history into law, and refused to take any action to protect Granite Staters’ abortion rights since Roe v. Wade was overturned a year ago.
“While we wish him well in his next professional chapter, we regret that his time in office resulted in diminishing reproductive rights for Granite Staters. We hope that the next governor of this state marks a return to traditional New Hampshire politics in which our elected leaders, regardless of party, stand by our state’s values of bodily autonomy and personal privacy and act unequivocally to protect Granite Staters’ reproductive freedom,” Montgomery said.