LACONIA--Former Gov. John H. Sununu told Belknap County Republicans that Granite State Republicans must unite if they want to win in 2010.

"We have to come together. We are not entitled to fractions within the party," Sununu said Wednesday night. "Personality problems, philosophical differences within the party, we have to come together."

Sununu, who is running to be the next state Republican Party chair, spoke before the Belknap County Republican caucus before they elected members to the state Republican committee.

Sununu said that Republicans must rebuild the party beginning at the grassroots level and work to attract new voters.

Sununu later added, "We must begin to speak like Republicans and we must begin to act like Republicans."

Sununu also said his priorities would be to raise money, reorganize the party structure and help Republicans promote their party's message.

Sununu then joked, "How we do it? Using what I call the power of a benevolent dictator."

Among the 18 members elected to the state Republican committee were former House Speaker George Roberts, Fran Wendelboe, head of the Reagan Network and three former state senate candidates: Bill Tobin, Carl Johnson and Greg Knytych.