Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley netted a major endorsement from New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu during a town hall event in Manchester on Tuesday night.
“Let’s get this thing done. We’re all in on Nikki Haley, undoubtedly. You can feel the energy. You can feel it,” Sununu told the crowd.
The announcement comes at a critical time, with a little over a month before the first-in-the-nation primary to be held on Jan. 23. Sununu has urged the Republican Party to turn the page on polling front-runner Donald Trump, and his sway with independent and undecided voters was coveted by Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Haley was quick to invoke New Hampshire’s state motto, “Live free or die,” into her speech, reiterating the significance of earning the stamp of approval from Sununu.
“It doesn’t get any better than this,” she said. “To go and get endorsed by the ‘live free or die’ governor is about as rock solid of an endorsement as we could hope for.”
The former United Nations ambassador in the Trump administration reiterated the motto, rousing the crowd hoping to spread the Granite State’s energy beyond its border.
“I don’t think New Hampshire can keep it to themselves. I think we need to be a live-free-or-die country,” Haley said.
Sununu, one of the nation’s most popular governors, remarked on Haley’s connection with New Hampshire voters.
“To see her out there, to see her connecting with folks, to feel that momentum, it is real and it is tangible,” said Sununu.
The governor did not sidestep the former president’s lead in the state while dismissing other candidates’ standing.
“This is a race between two people. Nikki Haley and Donald Trump. That’s it … with all due respect to the other candidates,” Sununu told the crowd.
Sununu appealed to voters to throw their support behind Haley, hoping the combined support could be enough to dethrone Trump.
“This is not a campaign. This is a movement.” Sununu implored.
The governor encouraged voters to move on from Trump and focus on a future without the former president.
“This is an opportunity for New Hampshire to lead this country, for New Hampshire to say we’re not looking in the rearview mirror anymore,” said Sununu.
DeSantis hoped to add another feather in his cap after being endorsed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds last month. Sununu’s endorsement will undoubtedly be felt by Christie and Vivek Ramaswamy, who have yet to secure a significant political endorsement.
The town hall event kicks off three days of campaign events held between Haley and Sununu.
