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According to a new report from the Concord Monitor, Chris Sununu is expected to join Mitch McConnell’s campaign chief Rick Scott at an event that is co-sponsored by antisemitic State Representative and Laconia mayoral candidate Dawn Johnson.
Johnson is running to be mayor of Belknap County’s largest city and was widely condemned for antisemitic, neo-Nazi posts on social media. On Tuesday, Jewish leaders called on Sununu to drop his sponsorship of the event because of Johnson’s participation. But instead of backing out, Sununu is doubling down by not only sponsoring the event, but showing up in person with Mitch McConnell’s top crony.
This is the first public campaign event Sununu and McConnell’s closest ally have done together — and comes after Scott told radio host Jack Heath that Sununu is expected to run for Senate.
Read more:
Concord Monitor: On the trail: A top Senate Republican thinks Sununu’s ‘going to run’
Key Excerpts:
Scott’s headlining a Belknap County GOP gala and fundraiser on Saturday at Gunstock Mountain Resort. Sununu’s also expected to attend the function and it’s likely the 2022 election will come as the two leaders chat.
“I think he would be an outstanding senator,” Scott said in an interview on “Good Morning New Hampshire with Jack Heath” on Thursday. “I hope Chris gets in the race. I think he would have a big win.”
Asked if he thinks Sununu will eventually decide to launch a 2022 Senate campaign, Scott answered, “I think he will because he’s a patriot. He’s knows the problems of this country and I think he’s going to run.”
Sununu’s been facing a full-court press of lobbying by Scott, longtime Senate GOP Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and other prominent Republicans. Even former President Donald Trump, who seven months removed from the White House remains very popular with Republicans as he continues to flirt with another presidential run in 2024, has said he’d “like to see” Sununu challenge Hassan.
But Sununu has said numerous times in recent months that he’s in no rush to decide whether to run for the Senate next year, run for re-election for a fourth two-year term as governor, or not run for anything and return to the private sector.
“I’m sure he’ll want to discuss my future plans,” the governor said when asked in a radio interview with Heath on Thursday about his likely encounter this weekend with Scott.
But he added that national Republicans “know where I am in terms of my decision process.”