John Sununu says brother ‘totally wrong’ about election hypothetical
Family squabbles in politics are always a bit more interesting than the usual back-and-forth, and this one has a sharp edge. John Sununu isn't just correcting a stray comment; he's rejecting the premise that his brother's name alone would transform the race. That's a meaningful split, because Chris Sununu has real popularity in New Hampshire, and the suggestion that his coattails or name recognition would move the needle by 30 points feels like wishful thinking dressed up as analysis.
I'd want to know what John thinks the actual margin would be, and whether he's speaking from polling or just instinct. The "up by 30" figure is so outsized that it almost invites pushback, and John seems happy to provide it. What matters here is that the brothers are publicly at odds over how strong the Republican brand really is in a state that has a history of splitting tickets.
I land on John's side of this. A 30-point hypothetical is the kind of number that sounds good in an interview but falls apart when you look at how New Hampshire actually votes. It's a reminder that even in the same family, there can be very different reads on what voters want.