Chris Sununu Bio
Christopher Thomas Sununu, born on November 5, 1974, is an American politician, engineer, and business executive who served as the 82nd governor of New Hampshire from 2017 to 2025. A Republican, he earned a reputation as a fiscal conservative and a moderate voice within his party on selected social issues. After declining to seek a fifth term, Sununu endorsed Kelly Ayotte, who succeeded him as governor.
Before entering politics full-time, Sununu trained as an engineer and later led a major ski resort in the White Mountains. He is the son of former New Hampshire governor and White House chief of staff John H. Sununu and the younger brother of former U.S. senator John E. Sununu, giving him one of the most recognizable surnames in New Hampshire public life.
Early Life and Background
Christopher Thomas Sununu was born on November 5, 1974, in Salem, New Hampshire. He grew up in a politically prominent family as one of eight siblings. His mother, Nancy Hayes Sununu, served as chair of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee and as First Lady of the state. His older brother, John E. Sununu, went on to serve in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
The Sununu family’s roots trace back to Lebanon, and the family later moved through Cuba, El Salvador, and Greece before establishing itself in the United States. When Christopher Sununu was sworn in as governor, he used a Greek Orthodox New Testament Bible that had been in his family for generations, reflecting that heritage.
Sununu graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 1993. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in civil and environmental engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1998. After MIT, he briefly attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts as a film student for two months before pivoting back to engineering work.
Path to US Politics
After college, Sununu worked as an environmental engineer focused on soil and groundwater remediation, wastewater treatment plants, and landfill designs. In 2002, he became an engineer in training in California, gaining practical experience cleaning up waste sites under licensed engineers.
In 2010, Sununu led an investor group that purchased Waterville Valley Resort, eventually employing more than 700 people in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire. That same year, he entered elective politics, winning a seat on the five-member New Hampshire Executive Council. He served on the council from 2011 to 2017, including a stint on the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Intermodal Transportation, where he helped shape the state’s 10-year transportation plan.
Chris Sununu Career
Early Career (2011-2016)
Sununu won his first Executive Council race in 2010, defeating incumbent Beverly Hollingworth with about 55.9 percent of the vote. He was reelected in 2012 and again in 2014, building a record as a fiscal conservative willing to challenge spending proposals from both parties, including a high-profile 2014 Medicaid managed-care contract he argued had not been properly reviewed.
While serving on the council, Sununu continued to run Waterville Valley Resort, balancing his business leadership with public office. By 2016, he had emerged as one of the most recognizable Republicans in New Hampshire and launched his first campaign for governor.
Breakthrough (2017-2018)
Sununu was sworn in as the 82nd governor of New Hampshire on January 5, 2017. In his first general election, he had defeated Democratic nominee Colin Van Ostern by a margin of roughly 48.8 percent to 46.6 percent.
His early tenure focused on tax relief, business-friendly policies, and an aggressive response to the opioid crisis. In October 2018, he introduced a hub-and-spoke model for addiction recovery that directed tens of millions of dollars in federal aid into nine regional centers across the state. He also took on energy policy, vetoing a bill that would have raised the cap on net-metering projects, arguing it would cost electric ratepayers millions of dollars.
Sununu won reelection in 2018, defeating Democrat Molly Kelly with 52.8 percent of the vote. He was sworn in for his second term on January 3, 2019.
Republican Era (2019-2025)
In 2019, Sununu announced he would pursue a third term rather than challenge U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen. That fall, he also briefly drew national attention for vetoing 57 bills in a single year. In 2020, he won his third term with 65.1 percent of the vote against Democrat Dan Feltes, the highest vote share ever recorded by a New Hampshire gubernatorial candidate at that point.
Sununu navigated the COVID-19 pandemic by instituting a statewide mask mandate in November 2020 while criticizing federal overreach on vaccine requirements. He continued to push business tax relief, school-choice vouchers, and efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. In 2021, he announced a fourth-term bid, and he won again in 2022 with 57 percent of the vote, becoming only the second governor in state history, after John Lynch, to be elected four times.
On July 19, 2023, Sununu announced he would not seek a fifth term. He endorsed Kelly Ayotte, who won the 2024 election to succeed him. Sununu was sworn in for his final term on January 7, 2021, and his governorship formally ended in 2025. On August 18, 2025, Airlines for America announced that Sununu would become the organization’s next president and chief executive officer effective September 9, 2025.
Notable Events and Milestones
Sununu’s governorship was defined by tax restraint, vetoes of major spending bills, and a high-profile role during the COVID-19 pandemic. He drew national attention for his criticism of Elon Musk’s approach at the Department of Government Efficiency in 2025, praising Musk’s underlying goals while calling his messaging style counterproductive. In September 2024, he gained widespread notice for saving a choking contestant at a lobster-roll eating contest by performing the Heimlich maneuver.
Chris Sununu Career Wins
Sununu never lost a general election in New Hampshire. Over the course of his career, he won four consecutive gubernatorial races and three Executive Council races, building one of the strongest electoral records of any New Hampshire politician in recent decades.
New Hampshire Gubernatorial Highlights
Sununu won his first gubernatorial election in 2016, defeating Colin Van Ostern by about two percentage points. He followed that with a comfortable 2018 win over Molly Kelly, a dominant 2020 victory over Dan Feltes that set a then-record vote share, and a 2022 win over Thomas Sherman. He is only the second New Hampshire governor, after John Lynch, to be elected to four terms.
Other Wins and Achievements
Before becoming governor, Sununu won three Executive Council races, in 2010, 2012, and 2014, steadily expanding his margin with each cycle. He also successfully led a buyout and turnaround of Waterville Valley Resort, growing it into one of the largest private employers in the White Mountains region.
Chris Sununu Family
Family Background and Political Lineage
Sununu comes from one of New Hampshire’s most prominent political families. His father, John H. Sununu, served as governor of New Hampshire and later as White House chief of staff under President George H. W. Bush. His older brother, John E. Sununu, served in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. His mother, Nancy Hayes Sununu, served as chair of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee.
Personal Life
Sununu met his wife, Valerie, while they were in college, and the couple married in 2001. They live in Newfields, New Hampshire, with their three children, Calvin, Edith, and Leonardo. Sununu is an active skier and rugby player. In 1998, he completed a five-month through-hike of the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia.