Kelly Ayotte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kelly Ayotte
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Official portrait, 2011
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| 83rd Governor of New Hampshire | |
| Assumed office January 9, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Chris Sununu |
| United States Senator from New Hampshire |
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| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Judd Gregg |
| Succeeded by | Maggie Hassan |
| 27th Attorney General of New Hampshire | |
| In office July 15, 2004 – July 17, 2009 |
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| Governor | Craig Benson John Lynch |
| Preceded by | Peter Heed |
| Succeeded by | Michael Delaney |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kelly Ann Ayotte
June 27, 1968 Nashua, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (2003–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (before 2003) |
| Spouse |
Joseph Daley
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Bridges House |
| Education | |
Kelly Ann Ayotte (born June 27, 1968) is an American lawyer and politician. She is currently the 83rd governor of New Hampshire, starting in 2025.
Before becoming governor, she was a U.S. Senator for New Hampshire from 2011 to 2017. She also served as the New Hampshire Attorney General from 2004 to 2009. As Attorney General, she was the state's top lawyer. She is a member of the Republican Party.
Contents
- About Kelly Ayotte's Early Life and Education
- Serving in the U.S. Senate
- After the Senate
- Becoming Governor of New Hampshire
- Kelly Ayotte's Political Views
- Personal Life
- Images for kids
- See also
About Kelly Ayotte's Early Life and Education
Kelly Ayotte was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, on June 27, 1968. Her family has French–Canadian roots. She went to Nashua High School.
After high school, she studied political science at Pennsylvania State University. She then earned a law degree from Villanova University School of Law in 1993.
Starting Her Law Career
After law school, Ayotte worked for a judge at the New Hampshire Supreme Court. From 1994 to 1998, she worked at a law firm in Manchester.
In 1998, Ayotte joined the office of the New Hampshire Attorney General as a prosecutor. A prosecutor is a lawyer who works for the government to bring legal cases against people accused of crimes. In 2001, she married Joseph Daley.
In 2003, she became a legal advisor to New Hampshire Governor Craig Benson. A few months later, she returned to the Attorney General's office as the Deputy Attorney General. In June 2004, Governor Benson appointed her as the Attorney General of New Hampshire. She was the first and only woman to hold this important position in New Hampshire.
As New Hampshire Attorney General
As Attorney General, Kelly Ayotte was the chief law enforcement officer for the state. She worked on many important cases.
Protecting Clean Air
Ayotte joined other state attorneys general to sue federal regulators. This was because new rules made clean air standards for power plants less strict. She argued that the Environmental Protection Agency needed to measure pollution changes. She also said they could not let power plants stop reporting their emissions.
In 2005, the court agreed with Ayotte and the other attorneys general. This helped protect the air quality.
Working with the New Hampshire Institute of Politics
While she was Attorney General, Ayotte was part of the Public Advisory Board at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. This institute helps people learn about politics.
In 2013, Ayotte spoke at Saint Anselm College about a bill she supported. This bill was called the "Never Contract With the Enemy Act." It aimed to stop money paid to military contractors from going to groups that are against the United States. This helped prevent fraud and protect national security.
Serving in the U.S. Senate
Kelly Ayotte decided to run for the U.S. Senate in 2009. She resigned from her role as Attorney General to focus on her campaign.
Senate Elections
2010 Election
In 2010, Ayotte ran for the U.S. Senate. She won the Republican primary election, which is when voters choose their party's candidate. She then won the general election against Democratic candidate Paul Hodes. She received 60% of the votes.
Many important Republican leaders supported Ayotte's campaign. These included John McCain and Mitt Romney. Her supporters believed that having a young Republican woman from New England would help the party appeal to more people.
2016 Election
In 2016, Ayotte ran for reelection to the U.S. Senate. She ran against Maggie Hassan, who was New Hampshire's governor at the time.
A conservative group called Americans for Prosperity did not support Ayotte in this election. This was because she supported the Clean Power Plan. This plan aimed to reduce pollution and help fight climate change.
Ayotte lost the election to Maggie Hassan by a very small number of votes, just 1,017 votes.
What Kelly Ayotte Did as a Senator
As a U.S. Senator, Kelly Ayotte worked on many important issues for New Hampshire and the country.
Jobs and the Economy
Ayotte helped add parts to a law called the Every Student Succeeds Act. These parts aimed to improve STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). She especially wanted to help girls and minorities get into these fields. She also supported career and technical education in schools.
She also worked to help New Hampshire's fishermen. She opposed a plan that would have made fishermen pay high costs for monitoring their catches. She brought officials to New Hampshire to hear from the fishermen, and the plan was later dropped.
National Security
Ayotte was a strong voice on national security. She served on the Senate Armed Services Committee. This committee deals with military and defense issues.
She worked to keep suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay instead of moving them to the U.S. She also spoke out against the Iran nuclear deal. She believed Iran was a major supporter of terrorism. Ayotte also called for more airstrikes against ISIS, a terrorist group.
Making College More Affordable
Ayotte supported continuing the Perkins Loan program. She argued that about 5,000 students in New Hampshire depended on these loans to pay for college.
Supporting Military and Veterans
Ayotte often included measures in defense bills to support the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and Pease Air National Guard Base. She also supported the New Hampshire National Guard. She was against closing military bases.
She helped pass a law called the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014. This law helped New Hampshire veterans get medical care closer to their homes. She also worked on bills to give veterans better prosthetics and mental health services.
Government Spending and Taxes
Ayotte supported changing the tax system to make it simpler and lower rates. She believed this would encourage businesses to bring money back to the U.S.
In 2015, she voted to stop the Medical Device Tax. She said this tax threatened many manufacturing jobs in New Hampshire. She also opposed a tax on internet sales.
Ayotte supported a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. This amendment would require the government to spend only what it takes in. She helped pass the Senate's first balanced budget in 14 years. She also worked to cut wasteful government spending.
Policies for Women and Families
Ayotte introduced a bill called the Gender Advancement in Pay Act. This bill aimed to make sure men and women get equal pay for equal work at the federal level.
She also worked with Senator Jeanne Shaheen on a bill to fight discrimination against pregnant women at work. They also supported laws to make it easier for employers to offer flexible work hours for parents. This also included expanding access to affordable childcare.
Bills Kelly Ayotte Sponsored
During her time in the Senate, Ayotte sponsored many bills. Here are a few examples:
112th Congress (2011–2012)
- Bills to keep the Guantanamo Bay detention camp open and prevent prisoners from being released back to their home countries.
- A bill to reduce the number of large transport aircraft used by the United States Air Force.
- A bill to require the Congressional Budget Office to release economic reports for major bills.
- A bill to have the U.S. restore and maintain Clark Veterans Cemetery in the Philippines.
113th Congress (2013–2014)
- A bill to permanently ban state and local governments from taxing internet access and online sales.
- A bill to limit federal agency hiring and prevent members of Congress from getting pay raises when the government has a budget deficit.
- A bill to allow people to be excused from health care requirements if their religious beliefs object to the medical care.
- A bill to prevent soring in horses. Soring is a cruel practice where chemicals or devices are used to cause pain to a horse's legs to make it lift its feet higher.
- A bill to stop the Department of Defense from retiring certain military planes until new ones are ready to replace them.
- Bills to change a law that reduced retirement pay for military members under age 62.
- Bills to exempt disability benefits for public safety officers from federal income tax if the disability was from an injury on duty.
Committee Roles (2015-2016)
While in the Senate, Ayotte served on several important committees:
- Committee on Armed Services: This committee oversees the military.
- Committee on the Budget: This committee deals with the government's money plans.
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: This committee handles topics like transportation, science, and technology.
- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: This committee focuses on national security and government operations.
- Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: This committee supports small businesses.
Awards and Recognition
During her time as a Senator, Kelly Ayotte received awards from various groups. These included groups focused on retail, government spending, seniors (AARP), children (Save the Children), veterans, police, and trail conservation.
After the Senate
After leaving the Senate, Ayotte joined the boards of directors for several large companies. These included Caterpillar Inc., News Corp., and BAE Systems.
Becoming Governor of New Hampshire
In 2024, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu announced he would not run again. Kelly Ayotte then announced she would run for governor.
The election was very close, but Ayotte won with about 53.6% of the vote. She became the third woman to be elected governor of New Hampshire. She took office on January 9, 2025.
Kelly Ayotte's Political Views
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Ayotte has clear views on many political topics.
Minimum Wage
Ayotte does not support increasing the federal minimum wage. She believes that each state should decide what is best for its own minimum wage.
Social Security
In 2010, Ayotte said she was open to raising the Social Security retirement age for younger workers. This would be to help keep the program financially stable in the long run. However, she does not support changes for people who are already retired or close to retirement.
Unemployment Benefits
In 2014, Ayotte voted to continue federal funding for unemployment benefits. These benefits help people who have lost their jobs.
Workplace Policies
In 2015, Ayotte voted for a change that would allow employees to earn paid sick time. She also proposed a bill to make it easier for private companies to offer flexible work hours.
Balanced Budget
Ayotte supports a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This means the government would not spend more money than it collects in taxes.
Climate Change
In 2010, Ayotte said there is scientific evidence that human activities affect climate change. However, she also said the evidence was not "conclusive." In 2013, she voted against a carbon tax, which would put a fee on carbon emissions.
Gun Laws
While in the Senate, Ayotte supported compromises on gun laws. She was part of a group of senators who wanted to close the "No Fly, No Buy" loophole. This would stop people on the No Fly list (people considered a threat to aviation security) from buying guns.
Personal Life
Kelly Ayotte married Joseph Daley in 2001. He is a veteran of the Iraq War and used to be a pilot. He now owns a small landscaping business. Kelly Ayotte is Catholic. She and Joseph have two children.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2011
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Senator Ayotte speaking for 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney
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Senator Ayotte meets with junior officers of New Hampshire National Guard
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Senator Ayotte speaking at the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)
See also
- List of female state attorneys general in the United States
- Women in the United States Senate
