New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, one of the few Republican 2024 hopefuls who did not immediately criticize Donald Trump's indictment, said late Friday that the former president “shouldn’t be the nominee” and “can’t win” the 2024 election.
Sununu said on HBO’s "Real Time with Bill Maher" that the historic indictment has created a “circus.”
Asked if he thought Trump was guilty, the governor said: “You know what the indictments are? Like, I'm assuming he is, right?"
Sununu said the indictment "only helps" Trump with his supporters, but he doesn't believe the former president should be the GOP's nominee in the 2024 presidential election.
“I don't think he's going to be the nominee. He shouldn't be the nominee. He can't win in '24," the governor said. "But this builds a lot of empathy, sympathy, if you will. It solidifies his base."
The governor – who is weighing his own run for president – voted for Trump twice. He received pushback from Maher for vowing to back the eventual Republican nominee in the next election, even if it is Trump again.
“Look, I'm a lifelong Republican. I'm the head of the Republican Party in New Hampshire. I'm the governor, and if you're telling me the alternative is the socialist agenda that I think is driving America in a place, that’s not a good deal,” Sununu said.
Maher said it was “not sane” for Sununu to support Trump if he were the nominee, but the governor argued he wouldn’t have to, since he believes Trump won’t clinch it anyway.
“I’m not going to vote for him, because he’s not going to be the nominee,” Sununu said.
But, he added: “I’m going to support the Republican.”