Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte has won re-election to a second two-year term as governor of New Hampshire, defeating Democratic challenger Cinde Warmington, the Fox News Decision Desk projects.
Ayotte secured victory in the Northern New England swing state, defying a difficult political climate for the Republican Party and a surge in Democratic enthusiasm. She had previously been elected governor in 2024, succeeding Republican Gov. Chris Sununu. New Hampshire, along with Vermont, is one of only two states in the U.S. that holds gubernatorial elections every two years.
Historical trends favored Ayotte, as only twice in the past century, and not since 2004, has a first-term New Hampshire governor been ousted. During her campaign, Ayotte highlighted affordable housing as the state's most pressing economic challenge, pointing to new laws concerning accessory dwelling units and permitting aimed at alleviating the crisis.
Warmington, a healthcare attorney and former member of New Hampshire's Executive Council, focused her campaign on the cost of living, advocating for a suspension of the state's gas tax. A significant line of attack from Ayotte's campaign involved Warmington's past work as a lobbyist for Purdue Pharma, with Ayotte's team labeling her an "opioid lobbyist." Warmington countered by stating Ayotte was using the past to distract from current issues, accusing the governor of contributing to rising prescription drug costs and electricity rates, and record-high housing costs.