New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu announces he will not seek reelection

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu announced on Wednesday he will not run for reelection, leaving open a gubernatorial seat in a swing state heading into the 2024 election.

Sununu, who was first elected to New Hampshire’s highest office in 2016 and is currently serving his fourth two-year term as governor, said the decision to not run for reelection was “no easy decision.”

“Public service should never be a career, and the time is right for another Republican to lead our great state,” Sununu said in a tweet.

Sununu’s decision to not run for reelection provides Democrats with an opportunity to pick up a key gubernatorial state in 2024. President Joe Biden won New Hampshire by 7 points in 2020, and Democratic incumbent Sen. Maggie Hassan defeated Republican challenger Don Bolduc by 9 points in last year’s midterms.

Of course, Sununu won both of those years as an incumbent by margins of 31 points in 2020 and 15 points in 2022.

Shortly following Sununu’s Wednesday announcement, Former New Hampshire state Senator Republican Chuck Morse announced he will run for governor. Morse ran in the Republican primary for Senate in 2022 but finished second in the primary to Buldoc.

Morse thanked Sununu for his work as governor and closely aligned himself with Sununu’s conservative agenda in his statement.

“Year in and year out New Hampshire ranks among the best states to live in. It’s not an accident and it’s not luck either. It’s because we elect conservative (sic) who get results,” Morse said in a tweet. “It’s what I did as Senate President and it’s what I’ll do as Governor.”

Former Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte teased a possible announcement in a statement thanking Sununu, and said the next governor of New Hampshire “must be a tough and tested conservative.” A New Hampshire Republican close to Ayotte tells CNN she intends to announce her candidacy in the coming days.

“The battle to ensure that New Hampshire keeps our Live Free or Die spirit must continue. Like many Granite Staters, I fear that we are one election away from turning into Massachusetts,” she said in a statement. “Our next Governor must be a tough and tested conservative who will fight to ensure that New Hampshire remains safe, prosperous and free.”

“I look forward to announcing some big news in the coming days,” she continued.

Last week, Manchester, New Hampshire, Mayor Joyce Craig announced her bid for the Democratic nomination in the governor’s race. New Hampshire Executive Council member Democrat Cinde Warmington has also announced her gubernatorial campaign.

New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Chris Ager thanked Sununu for his service in a statement on Wednesday, touting his “principled leadership” and his efforts to grow the state’s economy and balance the state’s budget.

“(Sununu’s) ability to bring people together and find practical solutions to complex challenges has been a testament to his leadership and dedication to the people of New Hampshire,” Ager said in the statement.

Earlier this year, Sununu told CNN he will not run for president in 2024. His vocal criticism of former President Donald Trump sparked some speculation he may run, but he told CNN’s Dana Bash the “responsibility” of keeping the candidate field small in hopes of defeating Trump was a factor in his decision.

“I don’t mind who gets into the field, but given where the polls are right now, every candidate needs to understand the responsibility of getting out and getting out quickly if it’s not working,” Sununu said at the time.

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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