New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu (R) has called on Republicans to “stop making disparaging rhetoric” ahead of the November election, arguing that such attacks do little to shore up support for GOP candidates.
“As Donald Trump and his Republican allies consider the next steps in their campaign, my message to them is this: The path to victory in November will not be won through ad hominem attacks and personal insults,” Sununu said in a statement Thursday. Editorial Published by The New York Times.
Sununu argued that “catchy one-liners” such as calling Vice President Harris a “loser,” “irrelevant” and “terrible person” were not resonating with independents, who could play a decisive role in the election.
“Independent voters are independent for a reason,” the governor wrote. “They don’t show up to the polls because of personal attacks. Candidates need to give them a reason to show up to the polls.”
Both Democrats and Republicans have been fiercely attacking their political opponents, particularly at the presidential level. Sununu has blasted former President Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), as well as Ms. Harris, who became the Democratic front-runner after President Biden dropped out of the race last month.
Some Republicans have positioned Harris as a “DEI” hire — pointing to her commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion — while others have attacked her for her laughs.
“Politicians don’t usually lose votes if they laugh or smile too much,” Sununu continued, “but actions like the attack on Vice President Kamala Harris are insincere and out of touch with the reality of what American families are facing.”
Voters connect when their issues and concerns are addressed and “genuine empathy” is shown, Governor Granite said.
Sununu said he supports Trump after former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley suspended her campaign, acknowledged Democrats are also attacking Republicans, pointing to comments by Harris’ campaign that the GOP candidate is led by “weird” people, and nodded to the recently revived controversy surrounding Vance’s “childless cat-loving woman” comments in 2021.
Sununu urged Republicans to focus on issues he says are a product of the Biden-Harris administration, rather than the attacks.
“Democrats have a record to explain,” he wrote, adding that “Trump has a record to focus on in order to win votes.”
“With less than 100 days until Election Day, time wasted on personal attacks and distracting rhetoric isn’t just time wasted, it’s time lost,” he concluded. “Republicans must hold themselves to a higher standard — one that the American people deserve and one that’s good politics.”
