Posted on 02/28/2005 1:14:01 PM PST by crushkerry
Every four years speculation bubbles that some New Hampshire politician or another might join the national ticket for one of the major parties. It has to do with the prestige of the Granite State's first-in-the-nation primary. In 1996, then-Governor Steve Merrill's popularity and charm earned him a spot on Bob Dole's long list. Same for former Democrat Governor Jeanne Shaheen in 2000. Last year, as improbable as it seems today, National Review even snuck in a mention of former Governor Craig Benson on a list of possible candidates for president in 2008.
That won't happen, but since we're speculating, allow me to ask: Why not Senator John Sununu (R-NH)?
Thighs deep in the nation's Social Security debate, son of a former White House Chief of Staff, smart cookie in his own right, and proven political giant killer, the idea is not as outlandish as it might first seem.
Sununu served in the United States House of Representatives from 1996 through 2003. In 2002, he won one of the most hotly contested U.S. Senate races in the country. He is Roman Catholic. He has a peculiar fundraising base of fellow Lebanese-Americans. He's handsome. Has an attractive and likable family. And considering the name Sununu has been on the national stage since at least 1988, he probably has better-than-expected name ID.
Republicans were not always bullish about Sununu. Written off as overrated after a nervous squeaker against relative unknown Martha Fuller Clark in 2000, Sununu decided to do the unthinkable in 2002. He ran for a United States Senate seat that was already held by a Republican. Ultimate victory would mean knocking off the sitting GOP Senator Bob Smith in the primary and then beating sitting Governor Jeanne Shaheen in the General Election. Sununu beat Smith by 12 percentage points; Shaheen by 4. By the way, Shaheen outspent Sununu by $1.2 million.
Sununu has shortcomings. He is soft-spoken and, though conservative (2004 ACU rating: 100%), not prone to toss out red meat for the rightwing masses. But from his recent speech at the 2005 Conservative Political Action Conference, one could sense a genuine connection between Sununu and the grassroots. And writing as someone who has organized all manner of political events, when John Sununu is invited to meet with voters and concerned citizens, no matter how small the gathering, he almost always says yes.
As a Lebanese-American, Sununu has been accused of being anti-Israel, chiefly by Smith during their testy primary. He's not. But neither is he as deferential to Israel and her foreign policy concerns as many conservatives.
Sununu's presence on the 2008 presidential primary ballot would muck things up in an interesting way. For one thing, most of the other Republican candidates would probably write New Hampshire off and focus on Iowa and South Carolina. But what if Sununu got in late, after the other candidates had whittled away some of their resources, and before a frontrunner emerged?
The point may be moot. Sununu has never mentioned a desire to run for president and, so far as I can tell, this article represents the first and only speculation on the subject. But at present, there are no fewer than twelve US Senators considering a run at the nation's top job. Sununu should be one of them.
Sununu's reputation may well depend on the fate of Social Security reform. He is the co-sponsor of one of the more aggressive reform plans, which would allow younger workers to invest some of their Social Security payroll tax into personal retirement accounts. If something big happens this year, Sununu, along with President Bush, will be seen as one of the heroes of the revolution. If everything goes horribly wrong, he may end up a scapegoat.
But it says something about a guy who at the tender age of 40 is willing to risk a life of political prosperity for something he feels is right.
Patrick Hynes is former Political Director of the New Hampshire Republican Party. He is the proprietor of the website www.anklebitingpundits.com.
Senators just don't win Presidencies very often. What Republican Governors are on the horizion?
Less than 100 electoral votes against Hillary in '08.
It's going to be Hillary. Richardson might be no. 2 on the ticket, but Hillary will be 1. And the polls have her winning at this point, beating all the Republicans.
Of course, there are 3 years to go before it matters, but looking at the cast of potential candidates, I am worried that we're going to end up with Hillary.
She's going to demogogue medicare and social security. All she's gotta do is take Fla., and win the states that Kerry won. Any state that'd vote for Kerry would certainly vote for Hillary. And since I'm in Orlando, I can tell you that winning Florida is very doable for Hillary, if she demogogues medicare and social security.
How did he get elected to the Senate in NH? How did his father get elected Gov?
Nothing said about where he stands on abortion or sexual perversion. Hmm.
Unless he is significantly different from his dad, I'd be very, very careful.
Yeah, but NH gets FOUR ELECTORAL VOTES....
People know the difference. Besides, Sununu has proven he can win in the most important early primary state by defeating a sitting senator and then a former governor. Now, I'm not saying he's my guy in '08, but he should be given the shot if he chooses to run.
By running one of the lousiest campaigns against Shaheen and thanking god that Bush and Guiliani stumped for him in the closing days of the campaign.
I know him. In fact, I talked with him briefly at CPAC.
He is a very genial guy, on a personal level.
Notwithstanding, he's not nearly conservative enough for me.
And he would be a terrible national candidage anyway. He is not very forceful, and is lacking in personal charisma...at least the kind you have to project in front of the cameras.
2 words.
so what?
In a primary, he would have an edge.
All he has to do is win iowa, and he's got new hampshire locked up, that momentum alone could carry him to a nomination.
Wasn't there a "Futurama" called "Death by Sununu"?
I can name about 5 states that Kerry won that Hillary would probably lose.
She swings a few of them blue states back in play, and there is a better chance that she would swing texas then there is of her winning Florida.
Next to Janet Reno, Hillary is the 2nd most hated woman in the democratic party with cubans there.
Even some of the more liberal cubans loathe her.
A couple of things:
Being the favorite son in one of the early states is not the advantage you might think it is. Basically, the result gets downplayed completely.
And, let me assure you, Senator Sununu would not fare well in the Iowa Caucus'.
In the 2002 primary, he made it clear he was pro-life.
On social issues, he seemed to be in Senator Smith territory.
I have yet to see any evidence that he is in any way friendly to the gay agenda. I'm not saying its not possible, but it doesn't seem like anything thats been asked of him.
Governor Romney (no chance)
Governor Owens (no chance)
Governor Pataki (no chance in hell)
Governor Pawlenty (has a good chance)
Governor Sanford (need some legislative accomplishments).
Former Governor and now Senator Allen.
Could be, but he lives there, he can campaign till the cows come him till the day of the primaries and skew the field.
On the minimum, its an intimidation factor.
Now Iowa is a different story, Sununu would have problems there, but in essence, its the only one he would really have to work, if you take the first 2 states, the odds are very very good, that you'll be able to ride.
Either way, this is all moot, I honestly don't think Sununu has any interest, at this time, what so ever, in running in 2008 for prez.
I agree. It is moot. The chances of him running are slim to none.
The Cubans don't run our state though. There are more NY transplants than Cubans. And there are a whole lot of elderly who don't want government monkeying with social security and medicare. Medicare is going to be a big issue in 2008 because it's expected that the medicare system will go broke some time between 2010 and 2012. Jeb will be gone, and we'll probably have a Democrat in the gov's mansion, judging from how the field is shaping up now.
I'm trying to think of which Blue State won't vote for Hillary? CA? NY? Washington? MA? VT? NH? ME? DC? Ill? PA? All slam dunks for Hillary.
The best bets are MN, WIS, and perhaps MI or OR, but I'd put money on all of those states voting for Hillary, and even if she'd lose WIS or OR, it would not matter, provided that she wins Fla.
I think the GOP needs to start thinking realistically about Hillary. She'd be a disaster of epic proportions.
This was as a favor to her for her senate run. Worked too!
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