Chris Sununu and the Good Republican's Noble Lie

You don't usually defeat authoritarians with lies.

(Composite / Photos: GettyImages / Shutterstock)

1. Sununu

Here is what Chris Sununu, governor of New Hampshire and certified Good Republican, had to say about Donald Trump’s candidacy on March 5, 2023:

As far as former President Trump, I think he’s going to run—obviously he’s in the race. He’s not going to be the nominee. That’s just not going to happen.

At the time, Trump was at 45 percent in the polls and held a 16-point advantage over his nearest rival.

Sununu held to this line for almost two more months. On April 24 he again gave his analysis of the race:

There's definitely a shift, but I still don't think [Trump’s] necessarily going to be the nominee.

For context, on April 24, Trump’s lead over his nearest rival was 29 points and growing.

Yesterday Gov. Sununu announced that he would not run for president because Trump was on a “collision course” to win the nomination. Now Sununu is pledging to fight to stop Trump.

That’s a lot of change in 12 weeks—Sununu going from it’s inconceivable Trump could be the nominee all the way to Trump must be stopped.

There are only three explanations for this about face:

1. Sununu is very stupid.

2. Sununu underwent a genuine, wholesale re-evaluation of his analysis because Trump’s support grew from 45 percent to 54 percent.

3. Sununu was lying about what he really thought in March and April when he insisted that Trump would not be the nominee.

Of these, only #3 is plausible. And it’s important.

Because what Republicans do not seem to understand is that it is both unwise and dangerous to attempt to defeat Trump with lies.