Northeast
House Republicans brush off Stefanik's Trump admin upheaval amid high-stakes Florida race
House Republicans are brushing off reports of anxiety over three historically red congressional seats, as the special election for two of them looms just a day away.
“Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine are exactly who House Republicans need to join our team,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told Fox News Digital last week, referring to candidates running in Florida’s special election Tuesday.
Patronis is running for Florida’s 1st Congressional District, which was vacated by former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Fine is running for Florida 6th District, previously held by former Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., who now serves as U.S. national security advisor.
Republicans have conceded they have been far outraised in those districts, and despite their likely victory, Democrats’ over-performance has reportedly raised concerns about the GOP’s fate in other areas of the country.
ELISE STEFANIK DETAILS ‘TEAM PLAYER’ DECISION TO REMAIN IN CONGRESS AFTER TRUMP REQUEST TO PULL UN NOMINATION
Rep. Elise Stefanik is back in Congress as Republicans fight to hold onto seats in Florida, where GOP hopefuls Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis are running. (Getty Images)
It comes after suggestions that GOP discord in a Republican-favored district in upstate New York made some people nervous about Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., ascending to President Donald Trump’s nomination as ambassador to the United Nations.
Stefanik withdrew her nomination on Friday in a decision that blindsided even lower levels of House GOP leadership, sources told Fox News Digital.
Democrats immediately seized on the news as evidence that Republicans were worried about losing her seat in New York’s 21st District – something Republicans flatly denied, while blaming the state’s progressive governor for signaling she would slow-walk the special election to replace Stefanik.
“It was a combination of the New York corruption that we’re seeing under Kathy Hochul, special elections and the House margin,” Stefanik said on “Hannity” Friday. “I’ve been in the House. It’s tough to count these votes every day. And we are going to continue to defy the political prognosticators and deliver, deliver victory on behalf of President Trump and, importantly, the voters across this country.”
TRUMP ASKS STEFANIK TO WITHDRAW FROM UN AMBASSADOR CONTENTION OVER RAZOR-THIN HOUSE MAJORITY
Florida state Rep. Randy Fine speaks during a special session, May 19, 2021, in Tallahassee. (AP)
Meanwhile, National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole told Fox News Digital, “We’d win this seat in a special election, and we’ll win it in a general election.”
Trump won the district by 20% in 2024, and Stefanik won every county during that same election cycle.
He told reporters at the White House last week, “We cannot take a chance. We have a slim margin,” and said he did not know who would be running to replace her.
But the president has also been busy at work in Florida, where he held tele-town halls for both Patronis and Fine over the weekend.
While the Democrats are the underdogs in both races, they’re winning the fundraising battle.
Democrat Gay Valimont hauled in over $6 million from Jan. 9 through March 12, compared to just $1.1 million for Patronis in Florida’s 1st District.
Orlando teacher Josh Weil grabbed plenty of national attention in recent weeks by raising $9.3 million compared to roughly $600,000 for Republican state lawmaker Fine in the Sunshine State’s 6th District.
The cash discrepancy in the 6th District race spurred GOP-aligned outside groups to make last-minute contributions in support of Fine in the closing days of the campaign, with conservative super PACs launching ads spotlighting Trump’s support of Fine.
Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 18, 2024. (Reuters/Mike Segar)
They have no predictions of success, however, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., telling reporters earlier this month, “These districts are so Republican, there would ordinarily be no reason to believe that the races will be close, but what I can say, almost guaranteed, is that the Democratic candidate in both of these Florida special elections will significantly overperform.”
But it has not alarmed the GOP’s core fundraising machines. Sources familiar told Fox News Digital that neither the NRCC nor the Congressional Leadership Fund – the top super PAC supporting House Republicans – are putting any resources into either race.
“I would have preferred if our candidate had raised money at a faster rate and gotten on TV quicker,” NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., told reporters earlier this month.
But Hudson added that Fine is “doing what he needs to do. He’s on TV now,” and emphasized, “we’re going to win the seat. I’m not concerned at all.”
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Connecticut
A Character-Rich Family Home in Connecticut That Bridges Past and Present
When a house has been loved for generations, its walls tend to hold stories. In the case of one family residence in Darien, Connecticut, that sentiment was taken quite literally. On the casement between the living room and kitchen are ticks that denote decades of growth, a quiet record of childhoods unfolding in real time. Several of those measurements belong to the home’s newest steward—the original owners’ daughter—who was ready to put her own mark on the property.
Eager to see what she could make of the 1930s structure, she and her husband tapped British-born designer Becca Casey of Connecticut-based Becca Interiors to breathe new life—and old soul—into the interior. For Casey, being entrusted with that kind of emotional patina was a privilege she didn’t take lightly. “The greatest challenge was ensuring that the new extension had synergy with the original house while bringing together the couple’s different tastes and honoring the home’s history,” Casey says of the 2,400-square-foot space.
That delicate balance shows up everywhere, from tailored silhouettes and clean lines for him to pattern and color for her. Nowhere is that nuance more evident than in the property’s oldest room, a long, beam-lined living space that once sat largely unused. Casey swathed it in an atmospheric mural, transforming it into a multi-zone haven centered on the fireplace, with moments of repose throughout where the family can gather to play a game or enjoy a book.
Around the home, Casey’s eye for nuance is unmistakable. She wields color, pattern, and shape with equal aplomb, expertly marrying form with function in a way that’s both timeless and fresh. A hidden television disappears behind drapery-lined cabinetry, the inner skeleton of an armchair is displayed like a work of art, a vintage dining table reveals a plaque from the husband’s hometown (a serendipitous discovery that made the piece instantly meaningful). In the end, reviving the dwelling wasn’t about reinvention for Casey—it was about the possibility that a new chapter can bring. The result is a space that, according to Casey, feels “quietly refined and effortlessly lived-in”—an elegant meeting point between memory and modern family life.
FAST FACTS:
Designer: Becca Casey, Becca Interiors
Location: Darien, Connecticut
The Space: A 1930s colonial with six bedrooms, across 2,400 square feet.
LIVING ROOM
Bare windows and a transportive wallpaper nod to the pastoral landscape.
The living room is the oldest space in the house, so Casey wanted to honor its bones while streamlining the layout for modern functionality. Custom Dmitriy & Co. sofas—linen on the top, patterned French mattress tufting at the base—typify the union between “his” and “her” tastes.
A traditional English roll armchair was tucked into a corner at the request of the husband, whose wish list included a spot to read. Aiming for a “layered floor plan,” with distinct areas for the family’s many needs, Casey added a game table as a visual anchor with a direct sight line to the main entryway of the home.
DEN
An original stone fireplace anchors the family-ready space.
Drenched in French Gray paint by Farrow & Ball and grounded by the original stone fireplace, the den is carefully choreographed to support togetherness, with a custom sectional and hidden TV.
DINING ROOM
The sun-drenched space looks out to the backyard pond.
Part of the new addition, the serene dining room is flooded with light, thanks to expansive floor to (almost) ceiling windows. Layered textiles keep the antique table—a happy find, originally made in the husband’s hometown—geared toward casual meals.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Salvaged beams mimic the look of the originals in the living room.
Inspired by Belgian interiors, the elevated placement of the fireplace isn’t just a design flex—it’s an experiential choice that puts the flames right at eye level when lounging in bed. Beside it, two vintage English armchairs stun with their exposed interior, a Becca Interiors signature touch.
PRIMARY BATH
Natural materials were chosen for their ability to patina over time.
In the primary bathroom, wellness comes through atmosphere rather than gadgets. A Drummonds soaking tub is positioned for prime pond views, with a gray-green base (Drop Cloth, Farrow & Ball) that reinforces the room’s soothing palette.
WORKSTATION
Smart features make family management a cinch.
To make the most of a hall nook, Casey crafted a compact desk where the wife, a teacher, can grade papers. Labeled drawers store art supplies, while a floor-to-ceiling cabinet (at side) acts as a hub for deliveries.
About the Designer
Becca Casey is the Principal Director and founder of Becca Interiors. Raised in the countryside of Southwest England, her earliest influences were rooted in history, nature, and the quiet beauty of rural life. These foundations continue to shape her design philosophy today, one that blends heritage with modern sensibility while honoring craftsmanship and the beauty of daily life at home.
Maine
This Classic New England-Style Cottage in Maine Has 200 Feet of Atlantic Ocean Frontage
A waterfront home with open ocean views on the coast of Maine came to market Tuesday asking $4 million.
Built in 1978, the three-bedroom cottage is at the southern point of Cape Elizabeth, less than 10 miles from downtown Portland. The 1.1-acre property on Sunny Bank Road features 200 feet of south-facing water frontage on the wide open Atlantic.
It is bordered by a rocky sea wall that’s about 28 feet high, according to listing agent Sam Michaud Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty
“The views are like a Monet painting,” he said via email. “The water sparkles and the waves are endless.”
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The 3,364-square-foot home was built in classic New England style, with shingle siding, a single sloped roofline and large windows—complemented by white-washed walls, exposed-beam ceilings and wide-plank flooring on the interiors.
The main common area features cathedral ceilings with a step-down between the living and dining room, and a partial wall divides the dining room from the kitchen. There is also a wood-paneled family room off the kitchen, a gym and a covered porch.
The sellers purchased the property in 2010 for $1.562 million, according to property records accessed through PropertyShark. They could not immediately be reached for comment.
“I have received quite a few inquiries since hitting the market two days ago,” Michaud said. “Buyers understand that this is a golden opportunity to own over an acre with 200 feet of bold oceanfront in Cape Elizabeth.”
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There are currently just seven three-bedroom homes available for sale in Cape Elizabeth and fewer than five waterfront properties, according to Sotheby’s and Zillow data. It is also the most expensive listing in the town, with another waterfront property on a tiny lot just south of Portland coming in a close second, according to Zillow.
Michaud sold the former Cape Elizabeth home of Bette Davis this past summer for $13.4 million, the priciest sale on the cape in at least a decade—and even those views can’t compare. They’re “just magical,” he said.
Massachusetts
Body part found in Shirley, Massachusetts pond, police suspect foul play
A body part was found in a pond in Shirley, Massachusetts and investigators said foul play is suspected.
It was discovered around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday as a group of people were walking along Veterans Memorial Bridge on Shaker Road.
Police said the group noticed something suspicious in the water of Phoenix Pond. The Middlesex District Attorney confirmed that the item was a body part, but would not elaborate.
Police shut down the road and divers could be seen exploring the pond late Wednesday. Authorities were back at the scene Thursday morning.
No other information is available at this point in the investigation.
Phoenix Pond connects to the Catacoonamug Brook, which flows into the Nashua River. It’s also connected to Lake Shirley.
Shirley, Massachusetts is about 44 miles northwest of Boston and around 13 miles from the New Hampshire border.
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