Former US Sen. Kelly Ayotte wins Republican nomination for New Hampshire governor
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte won the GOP nomination for governor in New Hampshire on Tuesday, securing a chance to succeed fellow Republican Chris Sununu, who is stepping away after four terms.
Though six candidates were competing the Republican primary, the race largely was between Ayotte and former state Senate President Chuck Morse.
Ayotte, who was New Hampshire’s first female attorney general, would become the state’s third woman to be elected governor, following Democrats Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, if she wins in November.
After five years as attorney general, Ayotte served one term in the U.S. Senate before narrowly losing her seat to Hassan in 2016. Since leaving Washington, she has served on several corporate and nonprofit boards. She’s focused much of her campaign stoking anti-Massachusetts sentiment with her “Don’t Mass it up” slogan, leaning less on the traditional anti-tax rhetoric and more on crime and immigration.