Meet Governor Ayotte
Kelly Ayotte was elected New Hampshire’s 83rd Governor on November 5, 2024.
Kelly ran for Governor to keep New Hampshire safe, prosperous and free. As a lifelong Granite Stater, Kelly knows that New Hampshire is the best state in the country to live, work and raise a family, and she will work hard every day to make New Hampshire even better.
Growing up in Nashua, Kelly learned the only way to achieve success is by working hard. Kelly’s first job was bussing tables during the Summer at Mame’s Restaurant in Meredith. She worked her way through college receiving a Bachelor of Arts with honors from the Pennsylvania State University and her law degree from Villanova University.
Coming from a military family, Kelly deeply appreciates the sacrifices made by New Hampshire’s many veterans, service members, and their loved ones. Her husband, Joe, was an A-10 Warthog pilot who retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel. Kelly and Joe got married right before September 11, 2001, and after they returned from their honeymoon, Joe deployed to the Middle East to defend our nation. Their daughter, Kate, is now a Cadet at the United States Air Force Academy.
Kelly has dedicated her life to public service. In 2004, Kelly made history when she became New Hampshire’s first female Attorney General. First appointed to that position by a Republican governor, she was twice reappointed by a Democratic governor. As New Hampshire’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer, Kelly worked every day to protect the freedom, rights, and safety of Granite Staters, and she stood shoulder to shoulder with New Hampshire’s law enforcement officers. In 2006, Kelly successfully prosecuted the horrific murder case of Manchester Police Officer Michael Briggs, resulting in a conviction and death penalty sentence for his killer. Kelly also served as the Deputy Attorney General, Chief of the Homicide Prosecution Unit – New Hampshire’s top murder prosecutor, and as Legal Counsel to Governor Craig Benson.
Kelly was elected by the people of New Hampshire to represent them in the United States Senate in 2010 and was ranked one of the most bipartisan senators, working across the aisle to find solutions to our nation’s biggest challenges. She worked to protect our national security, rein in wasteful spending, and led the effort to pass the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act to address the opioid epidemic. In 2017, she served as the “Sherpa” for Judge Neil Gorsuch, leading the effort for the Trump Administration to secure his confirmation as an Associate Justice to the United States Supreme Court.
Kelly understands the importance of small businesses and job creation to New Hampshire’s economy. She helped her husband, Joe, start a landscaping and snow removal business, shoveling snow by night and then going to work her day job as a murder prosecutor. She also spent several years working with companies in New Hampshire and across the country, including Chairing the Board of BAE Systems, Inc., New Hampshire’s largest manufacturing employer, and Cirtronics, an employee-owned manufacturing company in Milford. She appreciates the important role non-profit organizations play in New Hampshire and has served on several non-profit boards, including Swim with a Mission, Veterans Count, and the School Board of Saint Christopher Academy in Nashua.
Kelly continues to reside in her hometown of Nashua, New Hampshire, with her husband, Joe, and two children, Kate and Jake. Kelly believes that New Hampshire’s greatest strength is the passion, capabilities, and independence of its people. As Governor, she will wake up every day and give her all to serve the wonderful people of New Hampshire to ensure that the Granite State remains the very best state in the nation.
The Governor leads the state government. The Governor signs or vetoes bills passed by the legislature, proposes the state budget, appoints agency heads and, in many states, judges, and commands the state's National Guard. In most states the Governor can also grant pardons.