He’s not a “woke up” fan, but Chris Sununu set his sights on targeting Ron DeSantis for big business in the culture wars.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu shot fellow Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday, warning that conservatives should resist using state power to punish an “awakened” culture and instead should fight for small government conservatism.

“A lot of leaders say, ‘You know what? When we don’t get that result from a private business or locality, we just impose our conservative will from top to bottom,” Sununu said Sunday on CBS. News “Facing the Nation”.

When asked if he was referring to DeSantis’ fight against Disney, Sununu said that DeSantis is “one of many examples” of what he worries about.

“Look, Ron is a very good governor… but I’m just trying to remind people who we are,” Sununu said. “And if we’re trying to outdo the Democrats in being big authoritarians, remember what’s going to happen. In the end, they will have the power … and then they will start to punish conservative businesses, conservative non-profit organizations and conservative ideas.

TRUMP, BIDEN, VOLUME UP DESCANTIS

Sununu stressed that he believes the “awakening” culture is “leading us to places where we don’t want to be Americans.” However, he had also previously warned that he did not agree with DeSantis’ aggressive moves to go after corporations, even after DeSantis’ high-profile battle against Disney brought him national popularity.

In an interview with Fox News Digital earlier in the year, Sununu emphasized that “the harassment of private business is a different story… I come from a Live Free or Die state, and private business can and should venture without fear of being punished by people who can disagree with them.”

HAYLEY’S ANNOUNCEMENT MAY OPEN GATES TO 2024 RACE

He then added that he did not consider it reasonable to “punish private business for not agreeing with the policy.”

Sununu, who has taken steps towards potentially launching a 2024 campaign and has long been a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, has also turned up the volume on DeSantis since the start of the year. Sununu, who has had a strained relationship with some far-right members of his party, told Politico last week that “I’m considered the most financially conservative governor in the country.”

“I am #1 in personal freedoms. Sorry Ron, you’re #2,” he added, referring to the Florida governor.

Dividing opinion is something that could end up right in the middle of the race for the Republican presidential nomination if both governors end up running for the White House.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has seen his popularity skyrocket as he battles the wake-up state’s culture. (REUTERS/Octavio Jones)

New Hampshire Republican national consultant David Carney, a veteran of numerous presidential campaigns, said Sununu’s view aligned well with New Hampshire conservatives.

“The government has no right to tell businesses how to behave. The government has no right to support crazy ideologies, but it is not the role of the government to tell people in their private business what they can and cannot do. That’s what real conservatives are. the way he is. That’s the conservative New Hampshire point of view,” Carney told Fox News.

While he said that DeSantis’ actions to go after Disney and other big companies are very popular among the Republican Party’s conservative base, Carney noted “where in the Constitution it gives government the power to regulate what businesses want to do or think.” .”

Ryan Williams, a GOP strategist who has also worked on presidential and New Hampshire campaigns, said Sununu is “trying to draw early contrasts with a potential 2024 challenger.”

2024 WATCH: TRUMP IS INSIDE – HERE IS WHO ELSE CAN JOIN THE GOP PRESIDENTIAL FIELD

Chris Sununu, Governor of New Hampshire, speaks on stage during the Concordia Lexington Summit 2022 – Day 1 at the Lexington Marriott City Center on April 7, 2022 in Lexington, Kentucky. (John Cherry/Getty Images for Concordia)

“That said, the measures taken by Florida Gov. DeSantis against large corporations supporting far-left social programs are extremely popular among the base,” Williams said. “Criticizing his actions will not win you points in the eyes of party supporters and conservative voters who dominate the closed primaries. [Sununu] some appeal to independents who are looking for someone more mainstream or moderate.”

Since winning re-election in November, DeSantis has repeatedly hinted that he could run for the White House in 2024. Republican sources have confirmed to Fox News that the governor’s political team has already begun contacting and recruiting operatives for a potential White House run.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

While former President Trump was once the overall leader in early 2024 GOP nomination polls, DeSantis has eclipsed him in some polls over the past couple of months.

Fox News contacted DeSantis’ political team, but they did not comment on the repeated elbow strikes from Sununu.

Carney noted that Sununu’s verbal attacks do “speak of his consistent philosophy. No one knows if it is sold in the wider republican primary market. But he is very consistent.”

But Carney added that if Sununu does decide to run for the White House, the size of the GOP field will matter.

“It depends on the math. If there are five people running for government who have to make every decision, and one or two people working for the people have to make every decision, the math can be in his favor,” he said.

Williams noted that Sununu “was not a governor who served far-right parties in New Hampshire, and I don’t think he will change his approach if he seeks national office.”

“I think Gov. Sununu’s strategy as we approach the presidential race is just to be Gov. Sununu,” Williams said. “I just think he goes with his intuition, basically saying what he really believes and letting the chips fall where they can… He’s going to say what he’s going to say, what he’s going to. say and do what he believes, whether it works or not. .”