Granite Staters will have a new governor in 2025. Gov. Chris Sununu is not running for reelection after eight years in office.
Leading up to the state primary on Sept. 10, we’re speaking with top candidates from both major parties in the gubernatorial race to hear where they stand on some of the biggest concerns on voters’ minds.
Read on for NHPR Morning Edition host Rick Ganley’s interview Republican and former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte.
What questions do you have for the candidates running for Congress and governor in the 2024 election? What issues do you want them to address while seeking your vote? Share your thoughts here.
Editor’s note: This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Transcript
Many voters that we've talked to are concerned about housing — the high cost of housing and low availability here in New Hampshire. What would you propose to make housing more affordable for people renting or buying in the state?
There's no question we need more housing. We don't have enough supply in this state of all kinds — single family homes, apartments, manufactured housing. So one thing I would do is, first of all — there's a state process and a local process. I think we need to make the state process better. So when you go to build or develop something or even just an average person seeking a driveway permit, you need to get approval [from] DOS, DES, Fish and Game, multiple agencies. So making that process more efficient, really streamlining it, making sure that people are getting an answer with — I would say within 60 days so that the state can model good behavior there. And then if there's something wrong, you know, you can fix it. You come back.
Also at the local level with the local decision making really to work with, you know, the local municipalities — get everyone at the table, the private sector, the municipalities, the state officials, so that we can all work together. And then the state can also incentivize on things like transportation infrastructure. If you need roads or groundwater or sewer, like, we could partner with communities on those issues.
I know you sit on the board of Blackstone, one of the largest asset management firms and biggest landlords in the country. Do you think that's appropriate for you to be sitting on the board while you're running for governor?
Well, when I get elected governor, I'm only going to be governor. So my focus is going to be on making sure that New Hampshire has a robust housing supply by partnering with not only the private sector, but with towns and cities to make sure that we make that happen and that we have a good process in New Hampshire. I actually have had some great private sector experience, including chairing the board for BAE Systems, our largest manufacturing employer. So, you know, bringing that private sector experience, along with my government experience, I was proud to fight in the U.S. Senate. For example, expanding the low income housing tax credit on ways to really allow more resources to flow to New Hampshire on the federal dollar. So bringing that all to bear, I think I bring great experience to the corner office to really help us in New Hampshire on this important issue.
Another issue that we've heard a lot about in this election cycle is abortion. New Hampshire outlaws most abortion after 24 weeks, with some exceptions. You've made clear you would oppose any further restrictions on abortion in the state. Gov. Sununu has said that he would be open to repealing the criminal penalties to doctors that are in the current law. Where do you stand on that?
Well, I believe that our current law is really a consensus of people who've come together in New Hampshire. And under current law, women have the freedom to obtain an abortion up to six months of pregnancy and the last three months, if you, God forbid, have a medical emergency or your baby suffers from a fatal fetal anomaly, you can still obtain an abortion. So I've said, I'm not going to change the current law. We're not going to open back up the current law because the issue is, you know, they'll have people pushing, trying to push for more restrictions, too, and I'll veto that. It seems to me that we have a consensus and it's important to support that.
I also want to lean into issues like women's health care, preventative health care. I know that's important. Cancer screenings, mammograms, all that type of support for women. And, you know, also, one of the things that—
Can I ask you in the past, though, you have been against funding for Planned Parenthood in the state. Where do you stand on that now?
Well, I believe firmly that women should have access to preventative care. From my perspective, the best organizations to do that are the community health centers. So I'm going to increase funding for those centers in my budget as governor. And, you know, in the Senate, I fought for more mammograms. I fought for — because the federal government was trying to restrict that — more access to contraception. So I'll be looking for ways in New Hampshire to expand access to preventative care.
(Editor’s note: Ayotte has taken several votes related to access to contraception while in the Senate. She introduced a bill in 2015 aimed at expanding over-the-counter access to birth control. She also co-sponsored the Blunt amendment, which would have allowed employers and insurers to opt out of covering the cost of contraception.)
And to be clear, in 2015, in the Senate, you did vote in favor of that national restriction on abortion after 20 weeks. Have you changed your mind?
The Supreme Court turned this issue back to the states, and I believe that the states are where this should be. And New Hampshire has decided this is a New Hampshire solution. And as governor, my job is to bring people together around difficult issues. We found a compromise here [that] gives women the freedom up to six months. I respect that I will not change it. So just to be clear to your listeners, if anyone sends me something more restrictive, I'll veto it.
We've seen more flooding events here in recent years that are straining New Hampshire towns and cities' infrastructure. What role would you play as governor in planning for a warmer, wetter future here in New Hampshire? I'm thinking specifically about infrastructure.
Well, certainly when it comes to infrastructure, we should always think about the issue of resilience and make sure that
the infrastructure that we're building is going to last for the long term. I've also visited, for example, some of the things that have happened in the Seacoast with the seawall going down. I feel like I'm going to be a very strong person to champion also more federal resources to New Hampshire from my prior experience in the Senate. So I will do that as well. It's important that we think about transportation infrastructure that's going to last in this state.
I want to ask you too about crafting a state budget. Every two years, you've got to go through that process. You know, it indicates a governor's priorities, obviously. So what new big ideas would you bring to the budget process as governor?
Well, I think that really the budget process itself is to make sure that we come up with a responsible budget that's balanced. I don't want to add any new taxes on people because people are already paying too much right now. It's a challenging time, I know, for many families. I want to prioritize those who are the most vulnerable thinking about the disabled community, those that really need assistance, thinking about the drug problem that we have and mental health in particular. We don't have enough mental health providers. So I want to really make that a priority with our community colleges and our university system in terms of having more mental health providers, and then also for those that are willing to stay in state and serve here, you know, giving them some help with their education because mental health impacts all of us.
Well, it's interesting that you bring up that as a priority. This is something that's been a perennial problem here in New Hampshire. I know that Gov. Sununu has been working on this as well. How do you incentivize that? How do you keep people in the state? How do you bring more people to the state? Obviously, some people are going out of state because they make more money in the field. How do you incentivize that?
On the mental health end, I would incentivize that. We have a community college and university system. I would be open to really looking at, if you're willing to serve here for five years in New Hampshire, this is an appropriate area for us to give you scholarships, some loan forgiveness. [I would] really look at that as a piece to make it affordable for people to get their education here on mental health and make sure we have sufficient programs in those systems. But that would be a real way to use our community colleges and university system to benefit the state as a whole. Because I have to tell you, I've met so many families that often can't find a mental health provider. And if you're in an acute situation, you can't wait 30 days to see a mental health provider.
Click here for interviews with all the top candidates running in New Hampshire’s gubernatorial race.
