Northeast
Trump's sway over Republicans stronger than ever, but Sununu says GOP still a 'big-tent party'
MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — With his convincing White House victory this month, President-elect Donald Trump’s grip over the Republican Party is firmer than ever.
But a popular Republican governor who has long been a vocal critic of the former and future president says that there’s still room in the GOP for those outside of the MAGA and America First base.
“The party is a big-tent party. There’s no question about it,” Sununu said in a Fox News Digital interview this week along the sidelines of the Republican Governors Association winter meeting, which was held at a waterfront resort in southwest Florida.
Sununu, who was a top surrogate and supporter of former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Trump’s final challenger in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries, backed the Republican nominee in the general election.
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“It was a huge victory across the country, and the people of this country have spoken very loudly and unequivocally,” Sununu said of Trump’s electoral college and popular vote victory.
And the governor acknowledged that Trump is “the standard-bearer of the party” and “the voice of the party.”
“But this is a very large party. If it wasn’t, he (Trump) wouldn’t have won. If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t have had convincing wins all across this country in a variety of different states,” Sununu said.
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Asked about the president-elect’s flurry of announcements on Cabinet nominations this month, Sununu said that “he definitely has a couple of controversial Cabinet picks that … I don’t mind saying I’m not the biggest fan of, but the vast majority of them are terrific.” (Sununu was interviewed before former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., withdrew his name from consideration as attorney general amid a growing scandal.)
“He’s bringing folks from the private sector, he’s bringing in governors, he’s bringing in folks that have real experience in all of these issues and that understand the mission, which is fiscal responsibility,” Sununu said, “getting regulations out of the way, which effectively lowers costs on business, lowers costs on consumers, lowers costs for everyday citizens.”
Sununu didn’t stump on Trump’s behalf in swing state New Hampshire, but he crisscrossed the campaign trail on behalf of down-ballot Republicans. The governor was a top surrogate for former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, the GOP gubernatorial nominee who emerged victorious on Election Day and has pledged to continue the Sununu agenda.
Asked if Ayotte’s nearly nine and half point win was also a victory for him, Sununu said, “It was a victory for New Hampshire.”
“Kelly’s going to be phenomenal. She has that experience as an attorney general, as U.S. senator. She understands how the systems work,” Sununu said. “Our transition is already going incredibly smoothly; discussions virtually every single day about all aspects of government, where it’s going, how to build good teams and, most importantly … the opportunities to listen to what’s happening in the communities.”
“She’ll have my cell number. I don’t know if she’ll need it, because I think she’s going to be fantastic on her own, but she’ll always have my cell number,” Sununu said when asked if he’d be offering advice to his successor.
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And pointing to his two Democrat predecessors as governor, who Sununu said shared their cellphone numbers with him: “We want New Hampshire to be successful. So it’s not just me helping Kelly out. It is always a team effort. She’s going to have a host of people that she can lean on for any advice when she needs it.”
After mulling a 2024 White House run, Sununu announced in the summer of 2023 that he would launch a presidential campaign, and weeks later he also said he wouldn’t seek an unprecedented fifth two-year term steering the Granite State. (New Hampshire and neighboring Vermont are the only two states in the nation to hold gubernatorial elections every two years.)
“I’m excited to get back to the private sector. I like businesses, I like deal sourcing,” he said. “I’m not sure exactly what the private sector is going to bring, but I think it’s going to be pretty exciting.”
New Hampshire will likely have a competitive Senate contest in 2026 when longtime Democrat Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a former governor, is up for re-election.
But Sununu reiterated what he told Fox News Digital in July.
“Definitely ruling out running for the Senate in 2026. Yeah, definitely not on my dance card,” he said.
But the governor predicted that Republicans will “have a good candidate. There’s no question about it. A couple of different folks that might be interested in running. I think that’d be fantastic. We’ve had an all-Democrat [congressional] delegation for a long time. I think the people in the state, especially with Kelly’s convincing win, would love a different voice, would love just some sort of change.”
Asked if there’s another run for office in his future, the 50-year-old governor said he’s “not thinking about that at all, excited for the private sector. And that’s all … that’s in my windshield.”
But he didn’t entirely shut the door, adding, “We’ll see what political chapters write themselves down the road.”
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Pittsburg, PA
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Connecticut
A Celeb-Loved Architect Designed This $11 Million Connecticut Home
Nestled in the heart of one of Connecticut’s wealthiest areas is a renovated home that now can be yours for $11.5 million.
Located along the leafy Aiken Road, this beautifully renovated mansion was first built in 1950 and thoughtfully renovated by celebrity-loved architect and interior designer Marmol Radziner from 2020 to 2024. The firm is known for working with A-list celebrities, including Bradley Cooper, Tom Ford, Ellen DeGeneres, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Anthony Kiedis, to name a few. The Los Angeles-based firm is known for their modern, yet organic approach to design, incorporating native landscaping and indoor-outdoor living whenever possible. The property spans 4.4 acres and spans 6,755 square feet with four bedrooms, four full bathrooms, and one half bathroom.
They renovated the home to connect with nature during all four seasons, be it through large windows, massive skylights, an organic color palette, or interior greenery. The home has a clean and relaxed aesthetic, featuring bespoke elements the firm is known for, like French oak flooring, lime plaster walls, and high-quality marble and stone. There’s a clean California-style aesthetic with light colors, gracious rooms, high ceilings, and oversized windows that flood the rooms with natural light. The home’s grand foyer has a custom circular overhead skylight.
Further inside the home is the sumptuous living room with arched French doors that frame the views of the reflection pool. It has a marble fireplace and a bar hidden behind sliding doors that are adorned with plant-inspired de Gournay wallpaper. Nearby is the custom chef’s kitchen with soapstone countertops, state-of-the-art appliances, and an eat-in kitchen island. Throughout the residence there are wide-plank floors and custom cabinetry. There’s also a light-filled breakfast nook opposite a pair of French doors that open to the backyard.
The entire home has a tranquil and serene vibe. Other rooms include a sunroom with a vaulted white-washed cedar ceiling, a gas fireplace, and recessed bookcases; a family room; den/library; office; mudroom; laundry room; and a powder room. The primary suite is situated on the main level and has two closets, a spa-like bathroom, two vanities, and a water closet. You access the upstairs via a sculptural curved staircase off of the foyer, which is awash in natural light due to the skylight. There are additional en suite bedrooms upstairs that overlook the lush backyard.
It would be hard to leave this property in the summer months. A 1920s pool house was transformed into a living/dining space in 2024. There’s also an abstract pool. The airy space has vaulted wood-beamed ceilings, a kitchenette with a copper sink and refrigerator drawers, and a full bathroom. There’s also a two-bedroom, two-story guest house at the back of the property that has a large living room, fireplace, a kitchen with a breakfast room, powder room, and two upstairs bedrooms with a full bathroom, and a quiet stone terrace.
There’s also a detached two-car garage next to the guest cottage. The property has lush landscaping and an outdoor water feature. The home is listed by Joanne Mancuso of Houlihan Lawrence’s Greenwich brokerage.
Maine
Lisbon middle school assistant principal named Maine Assistant Principal of the Year
LISBON — Philip W. Sugg Middle School Assistant Principal Michael Toomey was presented with the Maine Principals’ Association’s 2025 Assistant Principal of the Year award Tuesday afternoon.
Over 300 students and staff assembled in the school gymnasium for the surprise announcement that one of their own would be honored as Maine’s best. Waves of excitement went through the crowd of sixth, seventh and eighth graders as Principal Ryan McKenney, with the help of Holly Blair, MPA’s executive director for the professional division, announced Toomey’s latest accomplishment.
“Mr. Toomey ignites our inspiration, fuels our compassion for others and highlights, when needed, the importance of staying between the guardrails on the middle school road of life,” McKenney said as Toomey stood among students and teachers.
“He inspires each of us to be more than we often thought we were capable of,” McKenney continued. “He inspired me to be more than I thought I was capable of. Today, we recognize and congratulate Mr. Toomey as Maine’s Assistant Principal of the Year.”
The people erupted with applause.
In a statement from the MPA, Blair wrote that Toomey started career in Virginia after completing his bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education in 2006.
He began teaching in Virginia in 2008 and took on roles as a special education teacher and behavior management specialist while there. He moved to Pennsylvania where he completed his master’s degree in educational development and strategies at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre.
Toomey came to Maine in 2018 as a special education teacher at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham. In 2020, he was hired as Sugg Middle School assistant principal and athletic director.
“The MPA is proud to recognize Michael Toomey for his exceptional contributions as an assistant principal,” Blair said, adding that he cultivates a positive school culture and climate, always focusing on student needs. “Michael connects with every student, inspiring them to recognize their potential as leaders, even those who may not see it in themselves.”
After all the high-fives and congratulations, Toomey said his award says as much about the successes of the school administration and student body as it does about him. Success never happens in a vacuum, he said. It is the strengths of those around him which have created the kind of environment needed to succeed, he said.
“As soon as I was notified that I was the recipient of this the first thing that came to mind was all of the things that we have done as a school,” Toomey said. “It really is a team award. I can do all the things that I feel I’m good at and strong with, but none of that matters if the people in this team don’t do their part, too.”
Toomey also thanked the student leadership team, known as the Captains Council, which he started when he joined the administrative team.
“All of our efforts with our community service projects and our charitable efforts — going through that final round allowed me to highlight that student leadership group in particular which is a really proud moment for me.”
Toomey will be honored at the MPA annual Night of Excellence in May.
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