CONCORD, N.H. (WCAX) – Gov. Chris Sununu will soon say goodbye to the corner office at the New Hampshire Statehouse after his fourth term. The popular governor is now reflecting on his legacy.
“Well, we got a lot done. There is no question,” said Sununu, R-New Hampshire.
As he prepares to leave the state’s top job, Sununu says it was his time outside the Statehouse that he will miss the most.
“I learned to really appreciate and love that part of the job,” he said. “I loved maybe if I am up north for the day and I’m traveling down and we are just going to stop at a Dunkin’ Donuts and chat with somebody or stop at a country store and just say hi.”
During his third term, Sununu made a music video highlighting his travels, which was also aimed at promoting New Hampshire. He says it’s easy to be a cheerleader when there’s a lot to brag about. But the four-term governor is also proud of his policy accomplishments.
“I think getting school choice down was a big one,” he said.
Sununu will leave the state with a surplus in the education trust fund. However, he acknowledges the vast majority of education spending falls on the backs of the property taxpayers.
“Look, we have always had high property taxes here. It stinks. I pay it, a lot of people pay it,” he said. “It’s a hard burden to bear but it’s really the only burden that the citizens bear, fundamentally.”
New Hampshire’s voluntary paid family leave program is another law Sununu says he was happy to sign. But there are other bills, like a right to work, he was unable to get across the finish line.
“That is probably one we fought really hard on and just came up short. But, in the end, New Hampshire is still in a really great position,” he said.
Sununu helped navigate the state through the COVID-19 pandemic and consistently had high approval ratings throughout his four terms, which he attributes to being transparent.
“If you are very open about it, to those constituencies, to the people that whatever program you are talking about is impacting, then they feel like they are part of the process,” he said.
Sununu offers this advice to his friend and successor, Governor-elect Kelly Ayotte: “As much as you can get out of the office, and travel to the Monadnock and to the North Country and to the Connecticut River Valley and to the Seacoast, it is all really really important.”
Ayotte officially takes the reins when she is sworn in on Jan. 9.