New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu is coming off the sidelines in the Republican presidential race, announcing his endorsement for Nikki Haley.
The backing of the popular governor, who isn't running for reelection next year, could be an important factor in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary.
Sununu appeared with Haley at a 6 p.m. town hall in Manchester on Tuesday, introducing her to the crowd as "the next president of the United States."
A representative shared a statement from Sununu to NBC News ahead of the event: "I look forward to joining Nikki at her town hall this evening — it’s going to be a lot of fun!"
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Haley posted a similar message Tuesday:
Sununu has built a reputation as a centrist, at times criticizing former President Donald Trump, who's been leading the polls in New Hampshire and elsewhere in the 2024 primary. Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and governor of South Carolina, has pulled into second place in many polls of residents in the Granite State, ahead of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
"People say to me, they say, 'Look, governor, we're like you. We were with Trump in '16. We were with Trump in '20,'" Sununu said at Tuesday's event. "But things are too critical. So we're just going to say a polite 'Thank you for your service, Mr. President.' We're moving on, because this is New Hampshire and we go forward."
Sununu at one point was discussing possibly running for the Republican nomination for president, but eventually said he wouldn't seek it.
