By CHRISTIAN WADE
THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR
(The Center Square) — Ending months of speculation, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said he won’t be running for the U.S. Senate in next year’s midterm elections.
Mr. Sununu, a Republican, told reporters Tuesday he will be seeking a fourth term as New Hampshire’s governor and won’t be jumping into the fray of Washington politics.
“My responsibility is not to the gridlock and politics of Washington, it’s for the citizens of New Hampshire,” Mr. Sununu said during a briefing in Concord, N.H. “We have a lot more to do to protect the interests of New Hampshire citizens, and it’s just clear that I can be most effective doing that here in the corner office in the Granite State.”
Mr. Sununu was being urged by national GOP groups to challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan as part of the party’s strategy to reclaim the U.S. Senate in the midterm elections.
Republicans and Democrats each hold 50 seats in the Senate with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris serving as a tie-breaking vote.
To date, only one Republican candidate, retired Brig. Gen. Donald Bolduc, has filed paperwork to run for the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire in next year’s election.
Ms. Hassan, a former governor, kicked off her re-election campaign several weeks ago with a TV ad emphasizing her efforts to reach across the political aisle to work on bipartisan legislation.
Mr. Sununu, the heir to one of New Hampshire’s most storied political dynasties, was the youngest governor in the country when he took office in 2017. He is now 47.
He handily won a third term in the November 2020 elections with more than 65% of the vote, according to results.
A recent University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll showed Mr. Sununu with a small lead over Ms. Hassan in a potential 2022 matchup between them.
On Tuesday, Mr. Sununu acknowledged that the race is significant to the GOP’s efforts to win back a majority in the Senate but said the Beltway isn’t for him.
“I’d rather push myself 120-miles-an-hour delivering wins for New Hampshire, than to slow down and end up on Capitol Hill debating partisan politics without results,” Mr. Sununu said.
