John Sununu is running on his family’s legacy in New Hampshire. His brother is staying on the sidelines
By Katherine Koretski, CNN
(CNN) — The campaign signs across New Hampshire read “Sununu” in block letters.
They’re for Republican Senate nominee John E. Sununu, who held the seat from 2003 to 2009 and is running to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. But they also invoke the legacy of New Hampshire’s preeminent GOP family, including his younger brother, former four-term Gov. Chris Sununu; their father, former Gov. John H. Sununu; and their mother, Nancy Sununu, a former state party chair.
Rep. Chris Pappas, the Democratic Senate nominee, recently said that he believes his opponent is not putting his first name on some of his campaign signage as a way to confuse voters.
That’s something both John and Chris Sununu deny – and the younger Sununu, in an interview with CNN, went a step further.
“Look, if people thought they were voting for me, my brother would be up by 30 points. Come on,” Chris Sununu said.
Asked if his older brother had asked him to campaign with him, Chris Sununu said no.
“I’m not involved at all in my brother’s campaign,” he said. “We all believe in service, but you got to do it on your own. You got to stand on your own two feet. And I’m incredibly supportive, I’d do anything he asked me to, but he knows and I know that you’ve got to run your own race.”
Granite State political observers have noted the brothers aren’t campaigning together in public. Polls show Pappas leading by several points in a race Republicans hope they can win as they try to prevent Democrats from netting the four seats they need to win the Senate.
“Chris has campaigned with and supported John, along with many other New Hampshire candidates, and of course, everyone in New Hampshire knows that he supports his brother,” Mike Schrimpf, a spokesperson for John E. Sununu’s campaign, said in a statement. “More importantly, New Hampshire knows the Sununu family’s tradition of independent leadership.”
The former governor, who is now president and CEO of Airlines for America, told CNN that he has appeared with his brother at private fundraisers, including those hosted by friends, but hasn’t done any forward-facing retail politicking, something that Chris Sununu said is crucial in New Hampshire.
“Look, am I going to support my brother? Of course I am,” he added. “Me getting on an ad or something saying I hope you vote for my brother. Like that’s lame. Like what’s the point of that? I hope people understand that.”
But Chris Sununu joined Maine Republican gubernatorial candidate Bobby Charles at a town hall event in Wells, Maine, earlier this month.
“If people ask and I can make it work on my schedule and I believe in what they’re doing, then I’m always happy to help,” Sununu said.
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