After six years outside of professional politics, former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte threw her hat into the gubernatorial ring on Monday, warning New Hampshire voters their state is on the cusp of becoming its liberal neighbor to the south.
“I’m running for governor because New Hampshire is one election away from becoming Massachusetts – from becoming something we are not,” Ayotte said in announcing her bid. “I was born here and raised here. I raised my kids here, and you know what? I am going to die here because this state and its people are different. What we have here is worth fighting for.”
Following Gov. Chris Sununu’s unexpected announcement last week he would not seek a fifth term as New Hampshire’s chief executive, Ayotte issued a not-so-veiled hint at a re-entry into politics. Her Monday campaign launch guarantees a primary contest for both major parties, with former Republican state Senate President Chuck Morse and a pair of Democrats already declared.
Sununu’s exit from the race caused political watchers to move their read of the gubernatorial contest in November of 2024 from leaning Republican to a “toss up.”
Ayotte thanked the outgoing governor for his work through four terms, but declared the job unfinished.
“Governor Sununu is an excellent leader who has worked hard to defend our Live Free or Die values and improve New Hampshire’s quality of life,” she said. “The battle to protect our Live Free or Die way of life must continue.”
Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig responded to the news Ayotte had joined the race by attempting to paint the former senator with a MAGA brush, affiliating her with Republican efforts to restrict abortion nationally in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“Ayotte has spent the last six years profiting off her votes to defund Planned Parenthood and strip reproductive rights by taking high-paying corporate lobbying jobs. Granite Staters deserve a Governor who will fight for them, not serve the MAGA extremists and reward corporate special interests,” the mayor said in a statement.
Ray Buckley, the chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, was even more express in his denunciation of the one term senator and former state attorney general.
“Kelly Ayotte is an anti-abortion extremist who would bring the destructive DC Republican style of politics to Concord. Ayotte was a loyal acolyte to Mitch McConnell always putting his agenda ahead of what was best for Granite Staters. She filibustered common sense gun reform in the wake of Sandy Hook. She led an unprecedented obstruction of judicial nominees. She opposed same sex marriage at a time when New Hampshire led the the way toward the right side of history,” Buckley said.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey declined to comment on Ayotte’s insinuation there is something undesirable about a state “becoming Massachusetts.”