NBC host Kristen Welker on Sunday criticized Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris for “relaxing expectations” about how Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley will perform in the state's upcoming primary. pressure on Sununu.
Sununu appeared on “Meet the Press” and shared his thoughts on Haley's chances in New Hampshire's upcoming primary. Mr. Welker asked the governor about his expectations for what's next. Haley noted that after announcing her support for the candidate, she had claimed before the Iowa caucuses that she would win in a “landslide.” (Related article: Nikki Haley trails Trump in polls, says New Hampshire will 'fix' Iowa caucus results)
“When you first came out, you supported Nikki Haley and set expectations pretty high. Welker said. And now you're calling your strong second-place finish “amazing.” So what changed, Governor? ” Welker asked.
Sununu hit back at the NBC host, saying he believes Haley can “still” win, but that Haley's focus is on building “momentum from Iowa.” Sununu also said Haley “knocked out all the other candidates” during the Iowa caucuses, making it just a race between Haley and former President Donald Trump.
“That would be great, but no, I think she can still win. There's no doubt about that. But everything Nikki is trying to do is based on momentum from Iowa, 2% to 20%. We need to build on this and build on it. Let's build on the momentum here,” Sununu said.
“The fact that she knocked down all the other candidates. No one thought that was possible, but she really knocked them all down. Even Ron, I mean, he I'm in it, but I'm not really in it. It's a race between Haley and Trump. I've always said I want a one-on-one race heading into Super Tuesday. Maybe a super I think Tuesday is where she really has to start to win in each state, but as long as the momentum continues to build in her home state, it's a great opportunity to turn things around.”
But Welker doubled down on her questions, asking about Sununu's “relaxed” expectations and whether Haley needed to win New Hampshire to “remain” in the race. Sununu continued to focus on building Haley's “momentum” and said she is preparing to win in her home state of South Carolina. (Related: What awaits Republican candidates after Trump's Iowa win)
“But you've tempered those expectations. You're saying she can win. Does she have to win? Is it a matter of whether she stays in this race?” Welker asked the question.
“She doesn't need to win. I mean, look, no one goes from single digits in December to 'must win' in January. I think that's where the media expectations are set. The fact that it can actually happen, right? When Trump said he was going to run the table and win all 50 states, everyone said, “Yeah, this is a done deal.” “It's not a done deal,” Sununu said.
“She's challenging him here. And now she could go again to her home state, where she's had so many wins so far. She knows how to do it on the field. But people don't understand South Carolina. [primary] It's not next week. With about three to four weeks left, Nick will have plenty of time to build on the momentum he's built so far. ”
The former president recently won a landslide victory in the Iowa caucuses, receiving 51% of the vote, ahead of Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' 21.2% and Haley's 19.1%, according to the Associated Press. . As the New Hampshire primary approaches, polls show Trump as the front-runner for the Republican nomination in the state.
Recent A public opinion poll was conducted A survey of 500 New Hampshire Republican primary voters in Boston by Suffolk University, The Boston Globe, and NBC10 predicts that Trump will defeat Haley by nearly 17 points, with about 54% approval rating. It has been shown. moreover, Number 2 About 52% of 1,398 likely state Republican voters said Trump is the candidate, favoring Haley, according to a poll conducted Wednesday by the St. Anselm College Research Center. They led by 14 points.
