Ayotte launches GOP run for governor

Jul. 24—CONCORD — Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte of Nashua launched her Republican primary bid for governor early Monday morning, warning New Hampshire is "one election away from turning into Massachusetts."

Ayotte vowed to be tough on crime, supportive of school choice and loyal to fiscally conservative principles as she entered this race five days after Gov. Chris Sununu said he would not seek a record fifth two-year term.

"The battle to protect our Live Free or Die way of life must continue," Ayotte said in her announcement statement. "I am running for governor because I fear that we are one election away from turning into Massachusetts.

"I love New Hampshire. I was born here, raised here, raised my kids here, and I'm going to die here. What we have here is worth fighting for."

A list of prominent Republicans were among 150 to endorse Ayotte, 55, including: former U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg; former Gov. Craig Benson; former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and his wife, Gail Huff Brown, of Rye; House Majority Leader Jason Osborne of Auburn; Executive Councilor Ted Gatsas of Manchester; GOP fundraisers Andy Crews and Dick Anagnost, both of Bedford; Manchester tech executive Jeremy Hitchcock and Bruce Breton of Windham, a confidant of former President Donald Trump.

"I will stand with parents, not bureaucrats, when it comes to deciding what is best for our children. I will fight for universal education freedom because every child should have the same learning opportunities and chance at success, and we will work to recruit more great teachers to our state," Ayotte said.

"Together, we will make sure that we keep New Hampshire safe, prosperous, and free."

Ayotte joins former Senate President Chuck Morse of Salem, who declared his candidacy within hours of Sununu's announcement last week. Observers expect Education Commissioner and 2016 gubernatorial candidate Frank Edelblut of Wilton to mount a Republican bid as well.

Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig and Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington of Concord are seeking the Democratic nomination.

"The field of extreme MAGA Republicans seeking to strip away Granite Staters' rights is growing — and a messy primary that pits extreme Republicans against extreme Republicans lies ahead," Craig said in a statement. "Kelly Ayotte lost her reelection campaign to the U.S. Senate because instead of representing Granite Staters, she represented her corporate donors in Washington, D.C."

Ayotte became the state's first female attorney general in 2004, picked by Benson and then reappointed twice by former Democratic Gov. John Lynch.

Elected to Senate in 2010

In 2010, Ayotte won a crowded GOP primary and then defeated Democratic Congressman Paul Hodes to win the Senate seat left open after Gregg decided not to seek a fourth six-year term.

While in the Senate, Ayotte was a leader on foreign policy and national security, serving on the Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees, where she pushed efforts to keep open the Guantanamo Bay prison for terrorists and opposed the Iran nuclear deal.

She worked with Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons on laws to help students better prepare for future jobs requiring new skills.

During the 2016 campaign, after a video from 2005 came to light of Trump making lewd sexual comments, Ayotte said that as a mother of two and former prosecutor working with victims, she could not support Trump for president.

She said she wrote in the name of vice presidential nominee Mike Pence.

Then-Gov. Maggie Hassan defeated Ayotte by only 1,017 votes for the Senate seat.

Later in the day Monday, Ayotte told media outlets she would support whoever wins the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.

Since leaving office, Ayotte has taken several high-profile business roles including a leadership post with BAE Systems and a seat on the board of the media giant News Corp.

Kayla Montgomery, vice president for public affairs with the Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund, said Ayotte defended a parental notification law in the U.S. Supreme Court and voted several times to defund Planned Parenthood in the Senate.

"Kelly Ayotte may try to paint herself as pro-woman, but her record tells a very different story. In her last campaign, Ayotte promised to overturn Roe v. Wade; now that the U.S. Supreme Court has decimated federal protections for abortion rights, her extreme anti-abortion agenda is even more dangerous," Montgomery said.

Since Sununu took himself out of the running, top analysts have changed the race for governor in New Hampshire from "solid" or "likely GOP" to a "toss-up" contest.

A graduate of Penn State and Villanova University Law School, Ayotte is married to Joe Daley, a retired National Guard pilot. The couple have two children, Kate and Jake.

klandrigan@unionleader.com