Kelly Ayotte Inaugurated as New Hampshire Governor, Vows Unity and Fiscal Responsibility

CONCORD, N.H. — Kelly Ayotte was sworn in as New Hampshire‘s 83rd governor on Thursday, marking her return to the State House nearly 16 years after leaving to pursue a U.S. Senate seat. In her inaugural address, Ayotte emphasized unity, fiscal responsibility, and education reform, setting the tone for her administration.

Ayotte, a former U.S. senator and state attorney general, succeeds Republican Gov. Chris Sununu. She pledged to be a governor for all residents, regardless of political affiliation. “I am going to be a governor for all of you, whether you’re a Republican, Democrat, Independent, you name it,” Ayotte said in excerpts of her speech. “Our state is so much bigger than a party or ideology.”

One of the key issues Ayotte addressed was education funding, particularly in light of a looming state Supreme Court decision on per-pupil spending. She reaffirmed her support for school choice while acknowledging the state’s high ranking in education funding. “We are in the Top 10 in total education funding per pupil in the country,” she said. “But it’s not only about dollars and cents. It’s also about how best our children learn and what kind of environment we are creating in our classrooms.”

On the state budget, Ayotte warned of potential cuts, emphasizing the need for fiscal discipline. “Just like any family, what’s going out needs to match what’s coming in,” she said. “We are going to have to make reductions and recalibrate from the higher spending of the last few years. We are going to have to look for better ways to do things with fewer dollars.”

Despite the focus on austerity, Ayotte stressed the importance of protecting vulnerable populations. “Protecting our most vulnerable and serving our most in-need communities must continue,” she said. Her speech struck a measured tone, reflecting her background as a prosecutor, in contrast to her predecessor’s more improvisational style.

Ayotte’s inauguration comes after a decisive victory in November, where she defeated Democrat Joyce Craig by nearly 10 points. During her campaign, she emphasized border security and opposition to New Hampshire becoming a sanctuary state, issues she plans to address in collaboration with the Trump administration. “President Trump is going to enforce the laws, and that’s important to me,” Ayotte said in a recent interview. “We have a northern border, and we need to ensure our state is safe.”

As the first woman elected governor of New Hampshire, Ayotte also highlighted the significance of her historic win. “My hope is that every young girl out there understands that whatever position she strives to attain, it’s available to her,” she said. “We aren’t even having these discussions about whether a woman’s elected or a man’s elected because it’s just equal for everyone.”

Ayotte’s administration begins as New Hampshire faces challenges ranging from education funding to border security. Her focus on unity and fiscal responsibility will likely shape her tenure as she works to address these issues in the coming years.