GOP Gov. Chris Sununu says candidates in the race for 2024 Republican nomination are not scared of Trump

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 19, 2022. WADE VANDERVORT/AFP via Getty Images

• Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire thinks Donald Trump is beatable in the GOP primary.
• He told The New York Times that it's going to be a "tossup" for a lot of different candidates.
• "He's not clearing the field," said Sununu. "He's not scaring anyone out of the race."

GOP Gov. Chris Sununu, who was recently re-elected in New Hampshire by more than 15 points, does not think former President Donald Trump is a shoo-in for the 2024 Republican nomination.

Speaking to The New York Times in a wide-ranging interview, he said that he thinks the former president will be beatable in the GOP primary.

Asked if anyone can beat Trump, who was the first Republican candidate to formally announce his candidacy, he replied: "Oh, of course. I think it's going to be a tossup for a lot of different candidates."

Sununu told The Times that "the average Republican voter really hasn't been given options yet" and it's not clear who is and isn't running yet. "So the polls right now are effectively meaningless," he said, per The Times.

Referring to Trump's chances, he said: "He's not clearing the field. He's not scaring anyone out of the race by any means. And there's just a lot of politics to play between now and 2024."

Sununu was asked about Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who is considered a likely contender for the Republican nomination, and whether he would perform well in New Hampshire.

"I think a lot of candidates could," said Sununu, per The Times. "But it's about how willing any candidate is to get on the ground, walk the streets, walk door to door. If you come in and just spend money on TV ads, it ain't really going to work. Just be yourself. Be normal."

In 2019, Sununu described himself as a "Trump guy through and through." 

In April this year, Sununu joked that Trump was "fucking crazy" during a roast at the annual Gridiron Club dinner, according to AP News. Days later, The Hill reported that he backtracked on the joke, saying: "Look, I don't think he's crazy. It's all a joke."