Sununu commits to supporting Trump if he is the Republican Party nominee

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who has been an outspoken critic of former President Donald J. Trump, nevertheless vowed Wednesday to support him if he wins the Republican nomination even if he is convicted of a crime.

Mr. Sununu, a Republican who in December endorsed Nikki Haley, Trump’s rival and former United Nations ambassador, was asked by CNN or he would hesitate to endorse Mr. Trump as the Republican Party candidate if he were found guilty in any of the four criminal cases against him.

“Look, I think most of us are all going to support the Republican candidate,” Sununu said. “There is no doubt.”

Mr. Sununu joins a long list of top Republicans who have opposed Mr. Trump’s abandonment, including Ms. Haley and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, another of Mr. Trump’s opponents in the increasingly shrinking emerging Republican race. During the first Republican primary debate in August, all but two of Trump’s opponents raised their hands when asked whether they would support the former president if he won the nomination and were convicted.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, one of two who indicated he would not, dropped out of the race on Wednesday. The other, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, has barely registered in the national polls.

Mr. Sununu doubled down on his loyalty to the candidate who wins the nomination, telling CNN that defeating President Biden in the November election was his motivation.

“Right now it seems like most of America would vote for him,” he said of Mr. Trump. “I will absolutely support the Republican candidate. Yeah, that shouldn’t shock anyone.”

Mr. Sununu stars in one television commercial for Mrs. Haley in New Hampshire, where she is within striking distance of Trump in recent polls ahead of the Jan. 23 primary.

“She is a new generation of conservative leadership who can help put the chaos and drama of the past behind her,” Mr. Sununu says in the ad, referring to Mr. Trump.