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Incumbent GOP governor rolls to primary victory after keeping Trump at a distance

Fox News • September 9, 2026 • nation

Key Points:

First-term Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte won her primary easily, setting up a general election contest against Democrat Cinde Warmington, who ran unopposed for her party’s nomination.
Ayotte, a former U.S. Senator and New Hampshire Attorney General, secured her second term after winning the governorship in 2024 with the endorsement of outgoing Governor Chris Sununu.
During her first term, Ayotte focused on criminal justice reforms, including rolling back parts of the bail reform law, restricting student cellphone use in schools, and increasing penalties for refusing Breathalyzer tests.
Warmington, a two-term member of New Hampshire’s Executive Council, criticized Ayotte for not opposing former President Trump strongly enough on issues like healthcare cuts, tariffs, and the war in Iran.
Ayotte’s tenure has faced left-wing criticism over state budget cuts to agencies, while Warmington aims to leverage her experience as the lone Democrat on the Executive Council in the upcoming election.

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