Ayotte seeks reelection, opponent Warmington calls for change in governor's office

Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) is wrapping up her first term in office, and hopes to retain her seat. Her foremost challenger is former Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington. While the two agree affordability is a top issue, they don't see eye to eye on everything.

Kelly Ayotte

“Affordability is my top priority,” Ayotte said. “We focused on housing. We want to expand the housing opportunities for people in the state. So, we had the most, very productive legislative session, passed nearly a dozen new laws on housing.”

New laws have allowed for accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, as well as converting unused office spaces and other buildings to residential units. She has worked with legislators to reform permitting to allow progress, and Ayotte said she is championing a group looking to sell and lease state-owned property for affordable housing.

“That will take partnerships,” Ayotte said. “We’ve got the Business Finance Authority on the group, along with New Hampshire Housing, and along with some private sector to figure out how do we do this. And so, we want to maximize the opportunities that the state has.”

She touted the Affordable Housing Fund, saying recently the state approved adding leftover American Rescue Plan Act funds to go toward this. Portions of the state’s real estate transfer tax will help the cause.

“I’m going to continue to focus on housing as a top priority, and then, hand in hand with that is childcare,” she said.

Ayotte said childcare scholarships have been expanded, and are being used by families across the state. She visited a new childcare center on Friday, in Londonderry, that will be operated by Easterseals, and will provide work, housing and childcare.

“We need more of those kinds of projects throughout the state,” Ayotte said.

To encourage businesses to co-locate childcare at their location, and make it more accessible, a childcare tax credit was passed. Ayotte said the state will continue to look toward community colleges, saying they are key.

“In terms of workforce, we want to make sure the community colleges and our university are affordable,” Ayotte said. “The university announced a program: families that make $100,000 or less will be able to go tuition-free to [the University of New Hampshire]. We’re going to do the same thing for the community colleges. That’s going to be included in my budget.”

In this case, students will need to maintain six credits at a time, so they can have a job, or apprenticeship, while getting credentials.

Energy is a key topic, and she’s been talking with utility companies about returning money back to rate payers. She wants to bring more reliable energy into the state, and supports the Constitution Pipeline to bring in more gas.

“We don’t have to add new pipeline to do that,” she said. “Its just bringing new gas to the region. Also, small modular reactors. Like, let’s look at new technologies for energy in the region, and I think this is a big contrast between me and my opponent on energy.”

Ayotte criticized the energy plan Warmington proposed ahead of the 2024 election, which advocates for bringing the Granite State to net zero before 2040. She said this is 10 years more aggressive than Massachusetts, and to do that, fossil fuel use would need to be eliminated.

“If you think you pay a lot for energy now, your energy bills would go up massively,” Ayotte said.

Ayotte strongly supports renewable energy, but said it has to be “all the above,” with examples of using natural gas and other fuel types to drive down the prices.

Ayotte opposes an income or sales tax, saying it takes money from the people’s pockets.

“No way, no how,” Ayotte said. “I think it’s so important to protect the New Hampshire Advantage.”

Ayotte supports a constitutional amendment to make it difficult to ever bring either of those taxes to New Hampshire. She said it would fundamentally change the state’s identity.

Ayotte has vetoed multiple “bathroom bills,” going against many Republicans. As a female athlete, and mother of a female athlete, she strongly supports the state’s law prohibiting biological men from playing in women’s sports.

“I think it’s really important that we keep it fair for women,” Ayotte said. “We fought too long to have those opportunities under Title IX.”

Ayotte is in favor of local law enforcement partnering with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as do the Belknap County Sheriff’s Office and State Police. She said the Granite State is the safest in the nation, due to that cooperation.

“I have great confidence in the professionalism of our law enforcement here in New Hampshire, and how they conduct themselves,” Ayotte said. “Some of the things you see happening in other states, they’re not happening here, because we all work together well.”

State representatives and candidates, on both side of the political aisle, have spoken in this election cycle about the need to legalize cannabis. Ayotte has strongly opposed this notion in the past, and said if a bill passes and hits her desk, she won’t be signing it. She believes it is “the wrong direction.”

“It hasn’t changed,” Ayotte said. “In fact, I continue to look really closely at this, and I’ve looked very closely at the research. And more and more comes out every day about mental health impacts on young people, young brains.”

Ayotte is proud of the bipartisan work her administration has accomplished in her first term, including efforts to increase housing and childcare, remove cellphones from school, and update bail reform laws.

“I work across party lines to get things done for this state,” Ayotte said. “And there’s more to do to keep New Hampshire safe, prosperous and free. And so I hope to have the opportunity to do that, and to work as hard as I can on behalf of the people of New Hampshire.”

Cinde Warmington

Lakes Region residents point to affordable housing, rising costs, and increased energy prices as key issues ahead of the election. Some people are in crisis mode. Warmington hears these issues anywhere she goes across the state.

Warmington said on Day 1 in office, she will make sure there is a plan going forward to ensure someone is accountable for how many housing units are available, how many are needed, and the plan to get there. Under the current leadership, Warmington said that just doesn’t exist.

“We need a plan if we are going to get where we’re going.”

Young residents have talked to her about how they can’t pay rent, and need to move back in with their parents. Small businesses are hurting.

Warmington recently visited Mount Washington Cruises, and was “shocked” the company needed to purchase housing for staff. Warmington said the housing crisis needs to be taken on “in a real way.”

She plans to fund the Housing Champion program, defunded this year. Building affordable housing is a priority of Warmington’s, especially for the most essential workers.

Warmington has heard from young parents opting to not have another child simply due to costs, and much due to childcare. Prices are skyrocketing, that is if families can even find a spot in the first place. She criticized Ayotte for defunding the childcare workforce grant, which was “really helping for recruitment and retention” of childcare professionals.

Warmington said the price of utilities has increased dramatically “on Kelly’s watch,” and noted Ayotte has refused a gas tax holiday.

Between Ayotte’s leadership and the Trump administration, Warmington said it is becoming “absolutely unaffordable” to live here. Warmington is against a sales or income tax, saying she will veto any bill that comes across her desk.

“I don’t know how you could think about putting an additional burden on people being crushed,” Warmington said.

Warmington is in favor of legalizing the regulated sale of cannabis, saying this is the Live Free or Die state, and it's a product with a large demand.

New Hampshire is the only state in New England without recreational cannabis sales, and she said people are driving over state lines to get it. This presents a significant loss of revenue to surrounding states, when it could be coming to New Hampshire.

Warmington’s concern is public safety, and said regulation could help with that, as customers would be provided a “safe and regulated product than who knows what off the street.”

“I would be in favor of the legalization of cannabis, if properly regulated and taxed,” Warmington said.

While many Republican candidates have strongly opposed transgender women playing in women’s sports and using bathrooms and locker rooms, Warmington doesn’t see this as an issue here.

“I think this honestly affects five kids in our state, and we should let this be handled on the local level,” Warmington said, noting she hasn’t heard about that on the campaign trail.

Warmington is strongly opposed to state law enforcement’s partnership with ICE, saying “masked, unidentified thugs” have been seen across the country causing more problems than good, and aren’t properly trained.

Warmington said law enforcement in New Hampshire shouldn’t be cooperating with “Trump’s ICE,” and if elected, she will remove the State Police contract. Warmington fears New Hampshire could ultimately be the home of a new ICE detention facility.

She said Homeland Security has indicated that despite a proposal for a facility in Merrimack being shut down, New Hampshire is “on the list." Warmington said if Ayotte is reelected, “that is what you’ll see.”

“I am 100% opposed to this, and I’m also opposed to the placement of detention centers in our state,” Warmington said.

Warmington has a soft spot for the Lakes Region, saying her first job out of college was at Lakes Region General Hospital. She fell in love with Lake Winnipesaukee, calling it a “gem,” and understands protection of the state’s natural resources are vital.

She recognized the tense relationship with Canada has affected local tourism, and a governor who stands up to President Donald Trump is needed. Warmington criticized Ayotte for not joining other New England governors in working on the relationship with the northern neighbor last year.

A relentless attack on Warmington during this campaign cycle has been her involvement with Purdue Pharma as a lobbyist 25 years ago. She once called OxyContin a “miracle drug.” The now-defunct company has widely been considered a main reason for the opioid epidemic.

Warmington said she has “personally been profoundly affected by addiction” in her family, and if she had known then what she now knows about Purdue Pharma, she never would have done business with them.

“Knowing what I know now, I certainly regret it,” Warmington said.

She said Ayotte only talks about it to deflect the harm the governor is doing to the Granite State. Under Ayotte’s leadership, Warmington said people can’t afford to fill their oil tanks, gas tanks, and prescriptions. She called Education Freedom Accounts a scheme driving up property taxes across the state.

“Kelly is for the billionaires and I am for the working people of New Hampshire.”

Warmington said a more affordable New Hampshire is needed, so residents can “retire with dignity.”

“I will make every decision through the lens of the working families of our state.”

The General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.