Sununu predicts DeSantis ‘probably’ tops Trump in 2024 GOP New Hampshire primary

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) predicted on Sunday that former President Trump would not win the New Hampshire GOP primary in 2024, dinging the early performances of Trump’s re-election bid and adding that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) would more likely come out on top.

“He could (win), I don’t think he will,” Sununu said of Trump on CNN’s “State of the Union” with Dana Bash.

Sununu said that Trump’s campaign launch had a lot of “stumbling blocks” and criticized Trump’s appearance and speech in New Hampshire over the weekend as “mundane.”

“The response we received was that he read his teleprompter, he stuck to the talking points,” Sununu said. “He’s not really bringing that fire, that energy, I think that a lot of folks saw it in ‘16. I think that in many ways it was a little disappointing to some folks.”

Trump is the only formally declared candidate in the 2024 race for the White House, while other GOP figures, including Sununu, are considering a primary bid against him. While DeSantis has not formally declared his candidacy amid widespread speculation of a White House bid, Sununu said DeSantis would run and would “probably” win the New Hampshire primary if it was held today.

“I think other candidates will look to get in this spring or into the summer,” Sununu said.

For his part, Sununu said he has still not made a decision about whether to run for president in 2024 and said he does not have a timetable for when he will decide.