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Chris Sununu Talks ’24

The perennially on-the-precipice candidate offers his most candid thoughts yet on the White House, DeSantis, and whether he’ll soon face his “good friends”—Mike, Tim, Asa, and Nikki—on the debate stage.

Chris Sununu said there’s a “61 percent chance” he runs for president—his words—and 39 percent chance that he just plays the role of kingmaker in New Hampshire.
Chris Sununu said there’s a “61 percent chance” he runs for president—his words—and 39 percent chance that he just plays the role of kingmaker in New Hampshire. Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images for TIME
Tara Palmeri
May 18, 2023

Chris Sununu, the New Hampshire governor and CNN fixture, contains multitudes. Sununu does not know Jeff Roe and said he wouldn’t hire him even if he were running for president (more on this in a minute) because he doesn’t believe in political consultants (even though many of his friends are political consultants) and he admits he’ll need to hire a few if he runs for president. When we met for lunch on Thursday, he didn’t trot me into some mom-and-pop diner filled with his supporters; instead, we went to a place called The Islander Cafe, in downtown Portsmouth, where the only three customers were Democrats. Sure, they each said they liked Sununu (maybe because he was hovering nearby) and that they didn’t care for Kamala Harris, but that’s New Hampshire for you.