CONCORD, NH — Former US Senator Kelly Ayotte was sworn in 83rd Governor of New Hampshire on Thursday, promising to rally people and encourage young people to “step up and contribute.”
“I will be a governor for you, Republican, Democrat, independent, whatever. Our state is much bigger than a party or an ideology,” he said in prepared remarks for the delivery. “Good government knows no party, so let’s show the people that even when partisanship is at a fever pitch, we can set another example.”
Ayott got it Fellow Republican Chris Sununuwhose decision against seeking a fifth two-year term established him as one of the most competitive governorships in the country. Vowing to continue Sununu’s anti-tax, pro-business economic policies, Ayott defeated five challengers in September’s GOP primary and Democratic former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig in November’s election.
In his inaugural address, Ayotte said he would keep the state on a prosperous path, but warned that belt-tightening would be necessary as lawmakers write the budget for the next two years.
“We’re going to have to find better ways to do things with fewer dollars,” he said. “As that family makes tough decisions, there are things we cannot take for granted: protecting our most vulnerable and serving those most in need.”
It’s Ayotte the third woman elected governor New Hampshire, behind Democrats Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, both now U.S. senators. They were the first and second women in the nation to serve in the Senate after becoming governor. Ayotte is the first woman to do the opposite, according to Eric Ostermeier, a researcher at the University of Minnesota and author of the news site Smart Politics.
While more than 150 former governors have become senators, Ayotte is among only 23 former senators elected governor since 1900, Ostermeier said. In an interview in October, Ayott said the experience will come in handy.
“I understand not only how Washington works, but I also understand how to fight for New Hampshire. I still have relationships, across the hall, with important people who make decisions in Washington,” he said. “So I feel like it broadens my skills as a governor to do the opposite.”
A narrow loss to Hassan in 2016 ended Ayott’s tenure in Washington after one term. Before that, Ayott spent five years as the state’s attorney general, and he often highlighted his past as a prosecutor during his campaign.
He reiterated that Thursday, saying his top priority is keeping the state safe. He also cited the state’s housing crisis as a major issue he wants to address, and praised Republicans for expanding the state’s school voucher program. Without offering details, he also announced plans to ban cell phones in schools.
“Screens are negatively impacting our learning environment, distracting students from their classes and preventing teachers from doing their jobs,” he said. “No more.”
Ayotte said she hopes to talk to students visiting the Statehouse and ask them to engage in public service.
“If we don’t teach our children about it, they won’t learn,” she said. “It’s so important to root our lives in something bigger than ourselves, and it’s critical to the health of our state and our communities that our next generations step up and contribute.”
