While practiced at giving himself room to move when it comes to his political ambitions, Gov. Chris Sununu said Wednesday he plans to "make a decision this summer" on a presidential run.
Sununu issued that deadline for his campaign plans in remarks at a New England Council breakfast. Along the way, Sununu also gave his strongest indication that he doesn’t plan to pursue another term as governor.
"After a while it's like, OK, enough is enough,” Sununu said. “So I'm not saying I'm not running again, but I got to get a real job."
Even as he leaves his options open, Sununu said he will get involved — one way or another — in helping Republicans pick their presidential nominee.
"People asked me to run, and I may well,” he said. “But I will tell you this: I am not sitting this one out. I will get behind somebody. I will put all my weight behind someone. I believe in that.”
In its advisory for the event, the New England Council noted that Sununu has traditionally offered remarks on his efforts to “promote economic growth in the region.” But the governor scuttled that format as soon as he took the podium.
“I don’t want to do the state of the state,” Sununu told the crowd. “I don’t want to say that no one cares about New Hampshire, but I think a lot of you are from Massachusetts, from New England, even from around the country — so we are talking about the state of where we are.”
In practical terms, that meant Sununu gave a version of a speech he’s been delivering as he travels the country promoting himself and what he calls “New Hampshire-style politics” — in national media interviews and appearances at political events.
“We always find a way to work together,” Sununu said, without citing any specific policies. “That doesn’t mean we come to the middle; it means we find a way to work together” It’s exactly what America is looking for.”
