After Promising Not to Take Political Meetings during the COVID Pandemic, Politico Reveals Sununu Met In-Person with Rick Scott -- In Addition to Scott “Constantly” Calling Sununu
Concord, N.H. -- Senator Mitch McConnell — who opposed COVID-19 relief for small businesses and wants to take away health care for those with pre-existing conditions — is Governor Chris Sununu’s number one fan. McConnell is pulling out all the stops to get Sununu to launch a campaign for Senate in 2022, according to a new report by Politico. McConnell has pushed repeatedly to take away health care for Granite Staters with pre-existing conditions, gave tax cuts to big prescription drug companies, and obstructed COVID-19 relief for small businesses. “Chris Sununu would be a puppet for Mitch McConnell and his corporate special interest allies in the Senate,” said NHDP Chair Ray Buckley. “Mitch McConnell is doing whatever he can to get Sununu to run because he knows Sununu would be a guaranteed yes-vote for McConnell’s anti-NH, obstructionist agenda.” Politico reported that McConnel has “personally lobbied” Sununu to run against Senator Hassan, and believes Sununu would be “a great candidate.” Sununu is also facing pressure to run from McConnell ally Senator Rick Scott, who “even flew to meet personally with Sununu this spring.” (This is in addition to Rick Scott “constantly” calling Sununu to lobby him to run.) Asked if he would take such a meeting, Sununu told Jack Heath in December that, “I don't think anyone in the country should be focusing on that right now. … to think, ‘Well, I'm going to focus on my political race right now,’ I think that's a disqualifier for the job, to be very blunt about it.” Politico notes that McConnell and Scott hope Sununu will get into the race “to end Democrats' 50-50 majority in the chamber,” McConnell sees Sununu as someone who would remain in lockstep with McConnell and his unpopular agenda that includes blocking COVID relief like the American Rescue Plan, attacking women’s reproductive rights, giving tax breaks to large corporations, and ending the Affordable Care Act. Read the full story from Politico here.
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