Former New Hampshire Republican Gov. John H. Sununu expressed his vehement opposition to a potential presidential campaign by former Utah Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman, calling him an “Obamaite” in an interview.
In an interview published Friday by RealClearPolitics, Sununu said that he would do everything possible to prevent New Hampshire, considered the least socially conservative state with an early primary, from voting for Huntsman.
Sununu served as chair of the state Republican Party from January 2009 until January 2011. He said that Huntsman has “never said anything really conservative in his life. How’s he going to win in a conservative primary? He can’t.”
“Huntsman won’t play well here,” said Sununu, “Huntsman won’t play well anywhere, because Huntsman’s only barely a Republican.”
Asked whether Huntsman’s experience as Ambassador to China positions him as a “foreign policy” candidate, Sununu responded, “He’s still an Obamaite. We’re not going to nominate an Obamaite. And I will make sure the Republican Party does not nominate an Obamaite.”
Sununu also attacked former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. “I think Gingrich forgets the impact of him sitting on the couch with Nancy Pelosi talking about justifying a carbon tax,” Sununu said. Gingrich’s spokesman told RealClearPolitics that he never supported a carbon tax.
The candidates Sununu mentioned as his personal favorites include former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. He said that he doesn’t expect his “old friend” Daniels to run.
Sununu’s son John E. Sununu was a Republican senator from New Hampshire from 2003 to 2009.