>>> POPULAR NEW HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU HAS DECIDED ON HIS STRATEGY TO MOVE HIS PARTY AWAY FROM TRUMP, AND IT IS BY NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

SUNUNU'S ANNOUNCEMENT SURPRISED POLITICAL OBSERVERS.

HERE HE IS EXPLAINING HIS RATIONALE TO WALTER ISAACSON.

>> THANK YOU, CHRISTIANE AND GOVERNOR SUNUNU!

WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON!

>> SO YOU WROTE AN OP-ED PIECE SAYING YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD A PATH TO VICTORY.

BUT THEN YOU SAID I AM NOT GOING TO RUN.

EXPLAIN THAT TO ME.

>> THE PARTIES GOING THROUGH A TOUGH TIME RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF MESSAGING, IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE WE GET INDEPENDENCE AND YOUNG VOTERS BACK ON BOARD.

THAT ALL HAS TO HAPPEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN NOVEMBER.

I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT YEAH, THERE IS A PATH, NOT EASY OF COURSE, BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THE CHRIS SUNUNU SHOW.

YOU WILL HAVE ANOTHER DOZEN CANDIDATES ON THE STAGE ANYWAYS.

I THINK THERE IS VALUE IN SHOWING THE NEW HAMPSHIRE MODEL OF HOW YOU GET STUFF DONE AND HOPEFULLY ENCOURAGING AND INSPIRING CANDIDATES ON A NATIONAL LEVEL AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE A STRONG TICKET.

OTHERWISE, THINGS WILL JUST REPEAT THEMSELVES.

THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR REPUBLICANS.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO CHANGE WHO WE ARE BUT GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF WHAT WE ARE ABOUT, BECAUSE THAT COULD BE INSPIRATIONAL, FOLKS.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LOW TAXES AND LIMITED GOVERNMENT CONTROL AND ALWAYS THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER.

FINALLY, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THE CANDIDATES ARE TALKING ABOUT THINGS MOVING FORWARD AND NOT JUST RELITIGATING THE PAST, BECAUSE THAT IS A SURE FIRE WAY TO LOSE A RACE IN 2024.

SO MAKING SURE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INFLATION, BORDER SECURITY, ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, ALL THESE THINGS THAT REPUBLICANS ARE FRANKLY GOOD AT AND THAT CAN IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES AND NOT GET THE MESSAGE CONFUSED BY A LOT OF THE OTHER THINGS WE CONFUSE OURSELVES WITH.

WE DO IT TO OURSELVES.

THIS IS WHO REPUBLICANS ARE.

WE TEND TO DO IT TO OURSELVES.

WE ARE REALLY GOOD AT THE JOB BUT TERRIBLE AT MESSAGING.

I WANT TO BE PART OF SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT VIGOR AND MORE INSPIRATIONAL FOR THE BEST FOR THE PARTY AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

>> THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GOOD STUMP SPEECH, SO I AM STILL CONFUSED.

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?

>> BECAUSE AGAIN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ABOUT ME.

I AM MANAGING THE PRIMARY.

I WANT ALL THE CANDIDATES TO COME TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AND UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF RETAIL POLITICS.

IF THERE WERE MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE OR SIX CANDIDATES ON THE STAGE MAYBE THE DECISION WOULD BE DIFFERENT, BUT THERE WILL BE LIKE A DOZEN CANDIDATES.

IF TRUMP WAS NOT 40 POINTS UP ON MOST OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES RIGHT NOW, MAYBE I WOULD MAKE A BIT OF A DIFFERENT DECISION, BUT A LOT OF REPUBLICANS ARE JUST THINKING IN THE PAST AS OPPOSED TO THINKING IN THE FUTURE, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE DONALD TRUMP IS NOT THE NOMINEE.

HE SIMPLY CANNOT MATHEMATICALLY WIN IN NOVEMBER 2024.

SO I THINK I COULD BE MORE HELPFUL TO THE PARTY IN THOSE SUCCESSES.

IT IS A TEAM GAME.

IT CANNOT JUST BE ABOUT A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL.

WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OURSELVES SOMETIMES.

>> YOU JUST SAID THAT IT CANNOT WIN IF TRUMP IS THE NOMINEE.

THAT IS WHAT YOU SAID IN YOUR WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL.

IS THAT THE MAIN REASON WHY YOU ARE AGAINST NOMINATING TRUMP, OR DO YOU THINK THE TRUMP IS NOT FIT TO BE PRESIDENT?

>> FOR ME THE MAIN REASON IS HE CANNOT WIN AND HE DRAGS THE WHOLE TICKET DOWN.

HE COST US U.S. SENATE SEATS IN 2022.

HE HAS COST US HOUSE SEATS.

HE COST -- LOOK, HE COST US SCHOOL BOARD SEATS!

YOU HAVE REPUBLICANS THAT HAVE TO JUSTIFY WHY THEY ARE REPUBLICAN AND THEY MIGHT BE ON THE SAME TEAM AS DONALD TRUMP, AND EVEN A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER GETS THEIR MESSAGING ALL TWISTED UP BECAUSE OF THIS GUY.

SO HE IS COSTING REPUBLICANS UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IT IS REALLY THAT SIMPLE.

HE COULD NOT EVEN WIN GEORGIA.

THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN.

IF YOU CANNOT WIN GEORGIA AS A REPUBLICAN, CAME OVER AND LIGHTS OUT.

THERE IS NO PATH TO ELECTORAL VICTORY.

SO RIGHT THERE IT TELLS YOU IT CANNOT HAPPEN IF HE IS THE NOMINEE.

IT IS BEST FOR THE PARTY AND BEST FOR AMERICA.

THERE ARE LOTS OF CANDIDATES TO MAKE SURE THE PARTY IS MOVING FORWARD IN A POSITIVE WAY AND DRIVING FORWARD ON A POSITIVE REPUBLICAN TICKET TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN 24.

>> BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS ABOUT TRUMP INCLUDING THE JANUARY 6th INSURRECTION AND OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE HIM NOT PALATABLE.

>> I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE NOT WANT TO VOTE FOR TRUMP.

AGAIN, IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT ME.

IT HAS PUSHED A LOT OF INDEPENDENT VOTERS OFF AND DISENFRANCHISED A LOT OF YOUNG VOTERS IN A NEGATIVE WAY AND IT COST US ALL THE TIME.

A LOT OF FOLKS, YOU KNOW, THE FORMER PRESIDENT, AFTER 2020, HAD A CHOICE OF WHAT ATTITUDE AND PATH TO TAKE.

THE PATH HE CHOSE REALLY PUT HIM IN A DIFFICULT POSITION AND IT PUT OUR PARTY IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION AND WE PAID FOR IT DAILY IN 2022.

WE SHOULD HAVE HAD 53 OR MAYBE 54 U.S. SENATE SEATS AND WE LOST THEM!

YOU HAD DEMOCRATS THAT WERE SO CONFIDENT THAT TRUMP AND HIS MESSAGE WERE BAD THAT THEY WERE FINDING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES THAT CARRIED HIS MESSAGE, THAT WERE HIS CANDIDATES!

THEY WERE FINDING THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY WON THEIR PRIMARIES!

THAT IS HOW CONFIDENT DEMOCRATS ARE IN BEATING REPUBLICANS AND IT WORKED!

IT WORKED.

WHY WOULD WE DO THAT AGAIN?

>> I WANT TO PUSH BACK A BIT, THOUGH, WHICH IS, YOU ARE RIGHT.

ALL THE THINGS YOU HAVE SAID ABOUT THE LOSSES OR THE THINGS YOU DID NOT WIN.

BUT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS ACTUALLY DONE PRETTY WELL.

BOTH HOUSES OF YOUR LEGISLATURE ARE NOW REPUBLICAN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

THAT HAS HAPPENED IN 22 STATES.

DeSANTIS WON WITH A TRUMP -LIKE MESSAGE WITH A VERY LARGE BOAT IN FLORIDA.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE MESSAGE IS NOT AS TOXIC AS YOU SAID.

>> NOT AT THE STATE LEVEL.

STATES ARE VERY DIFFERENT.

I THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE APPRECIATE, PARTIALLY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC PROCESS, THEY APPRECIATE THE VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEGISLATURES.

FOLKS CAN HAVE A MUCH MORE IMPACTFUL SAY IN THE THING THAT HITS THEIR LIVES ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS WITH THEIR LEGISLATURE AND THEIR GOVERNORSHIPS.

VIRTUALLY EVERY STATE HAS A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT PLAY BY THOSE RULES.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT REALLY GET ANYTHING DONE.

SO THERE IS A LOT MORE OF THE CHECKS AND BALANCES BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM AT STATE LEVEL AND PEOPLE APPRECIATE IT, SO THEY CAN SEPARATE THEMSELVES ON STATE ISSUES THERE.

BUT IN THE U.S. SENATE, THE CONGRESSIONAL SEATS, WE SHOULD HAVE A LOT MORE SEATS, AND FRANKLY IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE HAD A PERSON WHO COULD HAVE WON IN 2020.

IF YOU CANNOT WIN IN 2020, THINK OF IT THIS WAY.

ARE THERE ANY INDEPENDENTS WHO DID NOT VOTE FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT IN 2020 THAT ARE CHANGING THEIR MIND AND ARE NOW GOING TO VOTE FOR THE GUY?

NO.

ZERO.

HE IS ONE OF THE MOST KNOWN POLITICAL COMMODITIES OF THE 21st CENTURY.

YOU ARE EITHER WITH HIM OR YOU ARE NOT, AND THE MATH SAYS WAY MORE PEOPLE ARE NOT WILLING TO BUDGE AT ALL, SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE ON.

AND WHY NOT?

WE ARE NOT A COUNTRY THAT MOVES BACKWARD!

WE ALWAYS WANT THE NEW, BIGGER, BETTER VERSION OF THINGS.

THE NEW IDEA, THE NEW INDIVIDUAL, THE NEW INNOVATION.

SO THAT IS WHY YOU GO THROUGH ELECTIONS!

YOU DON'T GO THROUGH ELECTIONS TO GO BACKWARDS.

YOU GO THROUGH THEM TO MOVE FORWARD.

>> BY MY GRAY HAIR, YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL THAT I AM OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE KNOWN YOUR FATHER QUITE WELL.

HE REPRESENTED A VERY CONSERVATIVE, VERY REPUBLICAN, VERY TRADITIONALIST PARTY WITH IDEALS THAT WERE VERY CLEAR AND HAD BEEN THAT WAY FOR 20, 30 YEARS.

SUDDENLY THE PARTY, I WON'T SAY SUDDENLY, BUT IN THE AGE OF TRUMP THE PARTY HAS BEEN PULLED AWAY FROM SO MANY OF THOSE IDEALS.

I COULD GO DOWN THE LITANY BUT YOU COULD PROBABLY DO IT BETTER THAN I CAN.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND WHY HAS IT CHANGED SO RADICALLY IN THE AGE OF TRUMP?

>> LET'S BE FAIR.

THE LITANY OF IDEAS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAVE DRASTICALLY CHANGED.

WE USED TO MAKE JOKES ABOUT THE GREEN NEW DEAL.

WE USED TO MAKE JOKES ABOUT SOCIALISM, AND NOW A HUGE PORTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IDENTIFIES AS SOCIALISM ISN'T SO BAD, RIGHT?

>> I WILL HAVE A DEMOCRAT ON AND QUESTION HIM, BUT JUST RESPECT TO THE QUESTION -- HASN'T THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SHIFTED NOT JUST TO THE RIGHT, BUT TO A WHOLE NEW SET OF ATTITUDES AND RESENTMENTS?

>> I DON'T THINK THAT IS FAIR TO SAY.

I THINK THERE IS, THE MICROPHONES ARE GIVEN TO THE EXTREMES.

I THINK THAT MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYS RIGHT INTO THAT.

THE MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE TO PLAY RIGHT INTO THE TRUMP IDEAL OF RELITIGATING OLD STUFF AND TALKING ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION IN JANUARY 6th AND ALL OF THIS SORT OF STUFF.

SO NO, WE ARE NOT MOVING, IT IS NOT THAT WE ARE MOVING, IT IS THE MESSAGING GETS CLOUDED AND CO-OPTED BY EXTREMES BUT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE VAST MAJORITY.

IF TRUMP WERE IN A RACE, ONE ON ONE WITH ANOTHER CANDIDATE, HE LOSES UNQUESTIONABLY.

SO IT IS NOT THAT THOSE IDEALS AND THAT EXTREMISM HAS CO-OPTED THE WHOLE PARTY.

RIGHT NOW IT HAS JUST CO-OPTED THE MICROPHONES.

WE HAVE TO APPRECIATE THAT AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT AND MOVE FORWARD.

>> ARE YOU GOING TO ENDORSE A PARTY BEFORE THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY?

>> I PLAN ON IT.

I DEFINITELY PLAN ON IT.

WE WILL SEE WHO GOES WHERE OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, BUT I HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE STRONG AS A PARTY AND NOT MAKE THE MISTAKES OF 2016 AND HELP TO NARROW THIS FIELD DOWN EARLIER THAN LATER.

THAT MEANS BY THANKSGIVING OR CHRISTMAS OF THIS YEAR, IF YOU ARE NOT DOING WELL IN THE POLLS, THANKS FOR PLAYING, GOOD JOB, GOT TO GET OUT OF THE RACE.

WE GOT TO NARROW THIS THING DOWN.

I THINK THE CANDIDATES UNDERSTAND AND THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS A TIME LEASE FACTOR HERE.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET THIS GO TO SUPER TUESDAY WITHOUT NARROWING IT DOWN TO PRESIDENT TRUMP AND ONE OTHER CANDIDATE.

I THINK YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT NEXT GENERATION, THE NEXT MOVEMENT OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE.

>> WHO DO YOU FEEL HAS THE MOST OPTIMISTIC TYPE OF MESSAGE?

>> OH BOY, THAT IS REALLY INTERESTING.

OF THE CURRENT CANDIDATES?

I CAN'T SAY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

I THINK THEY ARE ALL OPTIMISTIC IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

I THINK GOVERNORS ARE OPTIMISTIC BECAUSE GOVERNORS ALWAYS FEEL LIKE THEY CAN GET STUFF DONE BECAUSE THEY ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE ALL THE TIME.

I THINK VICE PRESIDENT PENCE, HAVE TO SAY, I THINK HE IS A VERY OPTIMISTIC TONE.

HE IS A GREAT GUY.

HE HAS GONE UP AND DOWN IN TERMS OF THE PRESSURES HE HAS HAD TO WITHSTAND, AND HE BELIEVES IN THIS COUNTRY VERY STRONGLY.

NIKKI HALEY HAS A GREAT SENSE OF WHAT HAPPENS AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.

SHE BRINGS A REALLY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE IN THAT WAY AND HAS HAD A LOT OF PRESSURE ON HER BUT HAS OVERCOME A LOT.

THEY HAVE ALL COME FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, BUT LET'S SEE WHAT THEY OFFER AND HOW THEY SELL IT AND THE EXPERIENCE AND EXAMPLES THEY CAN PUT FORTH TO BE THE INSPIRATION WE WANT TO SEE.

>> YOU HAD A LINE IN YOUR OP-ED THAT LEAPT OUT AT ME, WHICH IS THAT CANDIDATES SHOULD NOT GET INTO THIS RACE FOR A VANITY CAMPAIGN OR TO SELL BOOKS OR TO AUDITION TO BE VICE PRESIDENT.

WHO ARE YOU CALLING OUT?

>> I WILL NOT SAY ANY NAMES INDIVIDUALLY, BUT THERE ARE CLEARLY SOME CANDIDATES THAT EITHER CLEARLY DON'T HAVE A SHOT BUT WANT TO GET IN TO BE CONSIDERED AS VP.

YOU HAVE TO CALL THEM OUT FOR NOT DRAINING THE SWAMP AND NOT SECURING THE BORDER AND WRAPPING HIS ARMS AROUND ANDREW CUOMO AND SAYING HE DID A BETTER JOB THAN REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS, SPECIFICALLY RON DeSANTIS.

NOBODY THINKS ANDREW CUOMO DID A BETTER JOB MANAGING THE PANDEMIC THAN RON DeSANTIS DID.

DEMOCRATS DON'T THINK THAT.

SO THAT TYPE OF STUFF, LET'S CALL THAT OUT FOR WHAT IT IS.

LET'S NOT LET HIM CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT HE IS SOME TYPE OF CONSERVATIVE OF THE FUTURE.

HE IS A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE PAST.

I SUPPORTED HIM IN 2016 AND 2020.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, WE ARE MOVING ON.

BUT ALL THE RESIDENTS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS WHERE THE PARTY IS.

DONALD TRUMP IS FOR DONALD TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS MOVING FORWARD AS A PARTY, AND ALL THE CANDIDATES NEED TO HAVE THAT MESSAGE THE RIGHT WAY.

>> YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU HAVE GOT TO GET SUBURBAN MOMS.

YOU HAVE GOT TO GET INDEPENDENT VOTERS.

IT SEEMED IN SOME WAYS AS AN UNDERCURRENT, AND YOU CAN PUSH BACK ON ME, THAT YOU THOUGHT RON DeSANTIS AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT WERE GOING TOO FAR IN A CERTAIN SORT OF EDGY DIRECTION AND MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE INDEPENDENT VOTERS AS WELL.

DID I MISREAD THAT?

>> OH NO, GOVERNOR DeSANTIS JUST WON A STATE BY 20 POINTS OR WHATEVER IT WAS.

HE GOT A LOT OF SUBURBAN MOMS AND A LOT OF INDEPENDENT ON HIS SIDE.

HE DID VERY WELL IN HIS LAST ELECTION, SO THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH CURRENT GOVERNOR DeSANTIS.

>> THEN WHAT TYPE OF PERSON IS IT REFERRING TO?

I DON'T GET IT.

>> ANYONE WHO WAS LIVING IN THAT EXTREME WORLD AND TRYING TO LITIGATE YESTERDAY.

NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THAT IN AMERICA.

THOSE -- I MEAN THEY CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST BUT THEY CARE MORE ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES YOU ARE GOING TO CREATE FOR THEM, THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR BUSINESS IN THE FUTURE, SO THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

THE SUBURBAN MOMS THAT I TALK ABOUT OUR BIG DECISION-MAKERS IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS AND THEY SHOULD BE.

THEY CARE PASSIONATELY FOR THEIR KIDS.

THEY MANAGE A LOT OF THE FINANCES IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS.

THESE ARE THE FOLKS YOU SHOULD BE TALKING TO DIRECTLY AND NOT TALKING TO BUT LISTENING FROM.

THAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE.

MAKE THEM PART OF THE SOLUTION.

DOESN'T MEAN I HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOU ON EVERY POLICY, BUT INDEPENDENCE AND YOUNG VOTERS, THE SUBURBAN MOMS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, THE NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE AND A SAY AND THAT YOU WILL AT LEAST CONSIDER THEIR POSITIONS, WHERE THEY ARE, AND TRY TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THAT.

IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE PAST, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OPPORTUNITY OF TOMORROW, SO THOSE FOLKS END UP GOING TO THE OTHER TEAM.

>> I WANT TO REVIEW A SENTENCE FROM VICE PRESIDENT PENCE, A FRIEND OF YOURS, SOMEBODY YOU SAID YOU WOULD MEYER.

HE IS TALKING TO JANUARY 6th.

HE SAID ON THAT FATEFUL DAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP DEMANDED THAT I CHOOSE BETWEEN HIM AND THE CONSTITUTION.

NOW VOTERS WILL BE FACED WITH THE SAME CHOICE.

YOU AGREE WITH HIM?

>> YES.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AGAIN, EITHER WE MOVE ON OR WE DON'T.

WE RELITIGATE THE PAST AND WE TRY TO WHITEWASH WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6th OR KEEP TRYING TO CONVINCE OURSELVES THAT THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN, WHICH IT WASN'T, OBVIOUSLY, OR WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO NO, I TAKE IT VERY MUCH TO HEART.

I CAN'T IMAGINE THE PRESSURES THAT THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT WAS UNDER.

>> TRUMP WAS IMPEACHED TWICE IN THE SENATE REFUSED TO CONVICT AFTER THE SECOND IMPEACHMENT.

IN RETROSPECT, DO YOU HOPE THEY HAD CONVICTED HIM?

>> I DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT.

AGAIN, YOU ARE ASKING ME TO RELITIGATE THE PAST.

THAT IS NOT WHAT I AM ABOUT, MAN.

YOU HAVE ALL THESE INDICTMENTS THAT ARE COMING DOWN AND THEY ARE CONTINUING TO HAPPEN WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT.

I KNOW THE MEDIA LOVES TO TALK ABOUT IT COMING BUT WE HAVE GOT TO BE, AS A PARTY, THAT IS WHY I AM NOT RUNNING, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO AS A PARTY AND CREATE OPPORTUNITY FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS AND FAMILIES.

SO I AM NOT TAKING A SIDE ON THAT.

I DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, TO BE HONEST.

>> SO WILL YOU ENDORSE TRUMP IF HE IS THE NOMINEE?

>> HE IS NOT GOING TO BE THE NOMINEE.

WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS DOWN TO ANOTHER CANDIDATE VERSUS HIM AND HE WILL NOT BE THE NOMINEE.

MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A STRONG TICKET AND THAT OTHER CANDIDATES CANNOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO STAND ON THEIR OWN.

>> EVEN WITH ALL THE POLLS SHOWING HIM DOMINATING THE PARTY?

>> LOOK, IT IS STILL EARLY!

WE HAVEN'T HAD A DEBATE YET!

>> ARE WE GOING TO HAVE DEBATES, DO YOU THINK, WITH DONALD TRUMP?

>> THE DEBATES WILL HAPPEN.

TRUMP WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER HE WANTS TO PARTICIPATE.

HOW CAN YOU SAY YOU ARE REPRESENTING YOUR PARTY WHEN YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE?

THAT WOULD BE NUTS.

MY GUESS IS HE WON'T BE ABLE TO KEEP HIMSELF OUT OF IT, BUT HE HAS A LOT TO ANSWER FOR.

BUT WE WILL NARROW THIS FIELD DOWN AND GET DOWN TO A ONE-ON- ONE RACE VERY QUICKLY AND HE WILL NOT BE THE NOMINEE.

>> GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.