Gov. Chris Sununu has led the Republican Party in New Hampshire for two years. The results are in.
In November, Sununu was, while underperforming, re-elected. But it was all downhill from there. Under his feckless leadership the Republicans lost control of the Executive Council, the Senate and the House of Representatives.
In observing Sununu’s performance in office, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that he understands almost nothing about political leadership and that, in any event, he simply doesn’t care.
Consider, for example, the fact that Sununu had in excess of $1 million in campaign donations at the same time the New Hampshire Republican Party, whose chair he had appointed, was completely out of funds. Did it never occur to the governor that some of his contributors would be willing to support him by supporting the party he led? Unhappily, the question answers itself.
In commenting on House Bill 372, a bill clarifying residency laws, Sununu demonstrated he either had not read or did not understand the bill by dismissing it as “voter suppression.” He made these comments after almost all of the Republicans in the Legislature voted for the bill – a bill he ultimately signed.
A number of the bills the governor chose to support, and those he chose to veto, and the manner in which he did so, further demonstrated his lack of awareness and interest in the governing process. In one particularly clueless performance, he enthusiastically spoke to the House Republicans minutes before a vote on right-to-work legislation and assured us we were going to pass the bill. He had been told we lacked the votes and everyone understood we lacked the votes except the governor, who simply refused to accept the fact. As predicted, the bill was defeated.
Finally, and most important and telling of all, his efforts on behalf of his party’s most important candidates were unimpressive or, usually, non-existent. Many of our most important candidates lost by tiny margins. Had the governor evidenced the slightest interest the New Hampshire Senate might, for example, still be Republican.
This discussion, while always important, is particularly important now because the New Hampshire Republican Party is in turmoil and a new chair will soon be elected. Some of the candidates have expressed the view that the Republican Party must fall in behind Sununu and unfailingly endorse his initiatives and support his vetoes. I could not disagree more. When the governor advances Republican policies and principles he won’t need to ask for Republican support, he’ll get it as a matter of course. When he turns his back on his supporters, he should be – and I hope and expect will be – on his own.
Sununu should also recognize that many Republicans have found him lacking and will be paying close attention during the next two years.
(Jim McConnell of North Swanzey, a Republican, is a former state representative for Cheshire District 12.)