Veteran political reporter Paul Steinhauser on Friday said that New Hampshire political voters have expressed a desire for a moderating voice in the politically turbulent environment in U.S. politics.
“There is a hunger for that, I think, among a certain portion of the population up here,” Steinhauser, who covers politics for the Concord Monitor News, told Hill.TV’s Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti on “Rising.”
“The Republicans up here are not all in Donald Trump’s camp. There are plenty of them up here who are, but remember Trump won about 36 percent of the vote up here in the 2016 primary. That meant about 64 percent of the vote was with somebody else,” he continued.
“If there is going to be a primary challenge to President Donald Trump, that’s still a big if, but if there is going to be one, it’s going to start right here in New Hampshire that’s for sure,” he said.
Speculation has swirled about whether a Republican will challenge Trump in the Republican 2020 primary.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), and Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) are all considered potential primary challengers to Trump.
Kasich, who is in the final stretch of his tenure as governor, visited New Hampshire this week, fueling more speculation about a potential presidential run.
He told Steinhauser in an interview that aired on NHTalkRadio.com on Thursday that he does not have a timetable for his political future.
“I don’t have a timetable. I don’t announce timetables because, you know, I don’t know. I have to see what the situation is and whether I could really have an impact,” Kasich said. “I don’t want to waste anybody’s time. If there’s not a clear path to having a major impact, and I don’t know exactly what that’s going to mean, but right now I don’t feel any pressure.”
Kasich finished second place behind Trump in the 2016 New Hampshire primary.
— Julia Manchester
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