New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu told Newsmax Republicans are "toast" if they can't attract young voters in 2024.
Sununu, appearing Monday on "The Hugh Hewitt Show," said the GOP needs a generational shift to secure victories next year and beyond.
"The generational shift that we need kind of steps up over all of the politics and the drama and craziness that the whole country is plagued with and it's what grabs independents, it's what brings back suburban moms, it's what actually attracts young voters," Sununu told Hewitt.
"Young voters in this country, the 18- to 32-year-olds, are going to vote in record numbers in '24 and then ultimately in '26. So they're going to keep increasing their participation, and I don't see any Republican candidates, or even the RNC by the way, really doing what they need to do to reach out to that younger generation."
Sununu added that doing so "is not easy," but "if you give up on them, we are toast."
Sununu, 48, once considered a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, announced he would not run for reelection or for the nation's highest office.
The New York Times/Sienna College poll released on Monday showed former President Donald Trump with a 54% to 17% advantage over his nearest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. No other GOP candidate has the backing of more than 3%.
"I get national polls, but where's the conversation really happening? New Hampshire and Iowa," said Sununu, adding that although he understood people supporting Trump due to the Justice Department's "injustices" of indictments, more discussion is needed about who can win the general election.
Sununu said the party will be best served when the GOP race is reduced to two or three candidates. He said he will support the party's eventual nominee no matter who it is.
Sununu was asked about the key to winning the country's first primary, in New Hampshire.
"Not worry about policy. The have to show some character, and they got to listen," said Sununu, who added he has spoken to some of the Republican candidates, including DeSantis and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., about how to impress New Hampshire voters.
"I was talking to DeSantis about this and all that. I said, 'Don't worry about the policy stuff. We've got that. You've got to be about character, about looking people in the eye and you got to show that you're not just viable to stand on the stage. You're the one on the stage,'" Sununu told Hewitt.
"You are the leader, you are the winner, you're the person that is going to inspire the rest of the party to get bigger and more excited.' So it's really about, kind of, a little bit of that charisma and leadership that they've got to show to folks one on one."
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