Cinde Warmington clinched the Democratic nomination for New Hampshire governor on Tuesday, advancing to a general election showdown against Republican incumbent Kelly Ayotte. Warmington's campaign has been shadowed by her past role as an attorney for Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, a company at the center of the opioid crisis.
The Republican Governors Association (RGA) has intensified its attacks, deeming Warmington "completely disqualified" due to her work with Purdue Pharma, which they allege fueled the opioid epidemic. The RGA stated that Warmington "chose a payday over protecting New Hampshire families."
Purdue Pharma faced widespread public outrage, numerous lawsuits, and governmental investigations for its marketing of OxyContin. The company was accused of downplaying the drug's addictive potential and concealing its high rates of abuse. In May, Purdue Pharma agreed to a $7.4 billion settlement.
Warmington has characterized the attacks as unfounded, asserting a limited professional association with Purdue Pharma. In a campaign video titled "setting the record straight," she addressed her past work. "In 2001, when, as an attorney, I was assigned a case by a partner to represent Purdue Pharma … I was fighting for patients to get access to the healthcare that their doctors thought that they needed," Warmington stated. "What I did not know at the time was that Purdue Pharma was engaged in this massive criminal fraud — something that would only be exposed over years of litigation."
Warmington previously served on the New Hampshire Executive Council from 2021 to 2025. She mounted a gubernatorial campaign in 2024, losing to Joyce Craig, who was the eventual nominee, in a 47.9% to 41.8% contest. Craig subsequently lost to the incumbent Republican governor, Kelly Ayotte.
For her 2026 campaign, Warmington has prioritized addressing the rising cost of living, criticizing Republicans for insufficient action on affordability. "The prices of houses, groceries, electricity and property taxes are crushing working families. And Kelly Ayotte is making your life more expensive. I know we can do better," Warmington said.
Her platform includes pushing back against immigration enforcement by ICE, establishing regulations for data center construction, and preventing investor groups from acquiring housing. Warmington has also pledged to eliminate sales and income taxes in New Hampshire.
Warmington will face Governor Ayotte in the general election on November 3. Ayotte won her election in 2024, defeating Craig with 53.6% of the vote compared to Craig's 44.3%.