Sununu on Trump: "Thank you for your service, we're moving on"
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Former President Trump won't become the Republican Party's presidential nominee in 2024, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) predicted during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.
Driving the news: "He's not going to be the nominee, that's just not going to happen," Sununu said, adding the GOP is looking for fresh leadership.
- "Thank you for your service, we're moving on," he said. "I just don't believe the Republican Party is going to say that the best leadership for America tomorrow is yesterday's leadership. That doesn't make any sense."
- "We want the next generation, the next big idea, and that's what we're going to deliver."
State of play: Sununu added that he believed that if the election were held now, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would win both New Hampshire and Florida.
- Trump has repeatedly attacked DeSantis, who he fears is the only candidate who could last with him in a long, bitter campaign for the 2024 GOP nomination.
- Sununu also spoke about the need for the Republican Party to attract independent voters and the next generation of "potential Republicans."
- "Republicans cannot win without independents. It cannot happen," he said.
The big picture: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced Sunday that he is not running for president in 2024, saying the GOP "must move on from Mr. Trump."
- "There are several competent Republican leaders who have the potential to step up and lead," Hogan wrote in a New York Times opinion essay.
- "But the stakes are too high for me to risk being part of another multicar pileup that could potentially help Mr. Trump recapture the nomination," he added.
What to watch: Sununu acknowledged last month that he is "definitely thinking about" a 2024 bid for president himself.
- Sununu did not acknowledge a potential run during Sunday's program and noted that he hasn't ruled out running for re-election as governor.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with details on Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan's announcement that he is not running for president in 2024.
