EXCLUSIVE — Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) said Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) is gaining traction among Democratic and undeclared voters in New Hampshire as the relatively unknown lawmaker makes his case as to why the party should move on from President Joe Biden.
"He's definitely gaining traction. He's definitely making a splash," the governor told the Washington Examiner in an interview. "From what I understand — I've heard some people comment that he's very good on the on the stump. He gives a great speech. He's answering questions directly. So from what I understand, he's doing a good job."
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Sununu noted he hasn't attended Phillips's rallies and events himself but has heard rumblings about his controversial campaign against Biden.
Biden did not file for the Democratic primary in New Hampshire, prompting Phillips to focus much of his campaign so far in the Granite State. The Biden campaign's decision comes during a feud between the early primary state and the Democratic National Party over the latter's recent decision to hold South Carolina's primary first, followed by New Hampshire. The state, which had traditionally held the first primary election in the country, ignored the new order in protest, leading to Biden's choice not to file for the primary election.
"I know they're going to try a write-in effort," Sununu said of Biden's strategy in New Hampshire. "Anytime you're trying to do a write-in effort for an incumbent president, that's just kind of pathetic."
Due to Phillips's candidacy, the New Hampshire governor said Democrats now know "Biden can now lose. Biden's so bad that he can now lose to even Trump, he loses to everybody, but he will now lose to even Trump potentially on the national level."
Sununu further predicted that neither Biden nor former President Donald Trump would appear on the ballot as the Democratic and Republican nominees in 2024. "Clearly, every American does not want Trump or Biden. And I don't believe it's going to be Trump and Biden on the ticket," he said.
But he also remains unconvinced that a third-party bid would be successful. "I think it's it's primarily likely going to be Republican-Democrat battle," he said.
Instead, Sununu suggested Republicans could rally behind another Republican option once it becomes clear that someone can garner the support to beat Trump.
As for the Democratic Party, because of its "mischievous and conniving" nature, he predicted, "something is going to happen, such that Biden isn't on that ticket in '24."
According to him, "They're going to scheme something up — work with the Bidens directly to get Biden to bow out." He cited the risk involved in going forward with such an unpopular nominee.
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Biden's campaign responded to his comments on Phillips's progress in New Hampshire, with rapid response director Ammar Moussa saying, "I'm not sure the MAGA Republican governor of New Hampshire, who has been wrong about everything, is the best barometer for what Democratic voters anywhere are thinking."
In a poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, conducted less than three weeks after Phillips launched his campaign, he garnered 10% compared to Biden's 65%. Phillip's already double-digit support came despite his campaign's youth and his little to no name identification among voters.