Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Sununu delivers his remarks during the Oct. 5 meeting of the Nashua Rotary Club. Cabinet photo by CHRISTOPHER ROBERSON

NASHUA – Despite being endorsed by President Donald Trump, Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Sununu recently described how he differs from the president’s anomalous ideology.

During his Oct. 5 meeting with the Nashua Rotary Club, Sununu said he is opposed to the war in Iran and the numerous tariffs implemented by the Trump Administration.

“We shouldn’t be in a trade war with Canada,” said Sununu, adding that the tariffs on building materials are driving up the cost of housing. “There’s more chaos in Washington than ever before.”

This also is not the first time he has railed against the GOP.

In December 2005, he was one of six Republicans who filibustered the renewal of the Patriot Act much to the chagrin of then-President George W. Bush.

“We had a Republican president who was furious,” said Sununu, who represented New Hampshire on Capitol Hill from 1997 to 2009.

He said he also reached across the aisle to then-U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) to help write the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act, which Bush signed into law in February 2008.

Sununu said his campaign is built on the pillars of restoring affordability, infrastructure reform and constituent services.

“You’ve got to be focused on the right things, bring down the cost of living,” he said, adding that raising taxes is not the answer. “Too often that’s the only solution to be offered by the left, a property tax cap will be on the ballot this year.”

Regarding healthcare, he said doctors should be required to disclose the actual costs of their services. He also said members of Congress should pay full price for healthcare.

“We can do far better with healthcare affordability,” said Sununu.

Speaking about infrastructure, he said he would push to revive the Constitution Pipeline, which was approved in 2014 and cancelled six years later. The 125-mile pipeline would transport natural gas from Pennsylvania to upstate New York where it would connect with existing pipelines serving New England. However, New York officials continue to block the construction of a pipeline to New Hampshire.

Sununu also mentioned bringing in hydroelectric energy from Canada, one of the world’s top producers of hydroelectricity.

“That’s not an opportunity that’s going away,” he said.

In addition, he said electric companies should no longer be permitted to purchase electricity at an above average price and use that to justify increasing the costs for ratepayers.

Turning his attention to his opponent, Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH), Sununu said Pappas voted in favor of 12 government shutdowns and still received a paycheck. He said if the government shuts down, members of Congress should not be paid during that time. He also said Pappas has been on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for eight years, yet New Hampshire still receives the lowest amount of federal highway funding.