Kelly Ayotte

Conservative

Republican

Governor

New Hampshire

Current Position: Governor of New Hampshire

Running For: Governor

Policy Positions

Against creating a new state income tax or sales tax in New Hampshire
Against cuts to veterans' benefits in budget proposals
For simplifying the tax code and lowering rates to encourage repatriation of overseas capital
For suspending the Medical Device Tax to protect manufacturing jobs
For a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution
For expanding access to affordable childcare and flex-time policies for working parents
For raising the Social Security retirement age for younger workers, but against changes for people at or near retirement
For permanent repeal of the estate tax

For laws to speed up housing construction and increase housing supply
For the Gender Advancement in Pay Act to implement equal pay protections at the federal level
For legislation combating pregnancy discrimination in the workplace
Against raising the federal minimum wage; believes states should decide on minimum wage increases
Against the Employee Free Choice Act (Card Check) that would bypass secret ballot union elections
Against the Paycheck Fairness Act as structured, though offered alternative equal pay legislation
For extending federal unemployment benefits funding
For allowing employees to earn paid sick time through a deficit-neutral reserve fund
Against the 2008 TARP bailouts of the private sector
Against the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, citing regulatory burdens on community banks

For funding mental health and substance use treatment, protecting Medicaid, and securing federal funding for healthcare affordability programs
For the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, allowing veterans to receive care closer to home
For repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), calling it a burden on businesses and healthcare costs
For state-administered healthcare programs like SCHIP and federal tax credits to reduce uninsured rates
For making birth control available over-the-counter without a prescription

For getting cell phones out of classrooms and expanding childcare scholarships and reading improvement efforts
For reauthorizing the Perkins Loan program to support college affordability

Against allowing New Hampshire to become a destination for out-of-state trash; for protecting state forests for timber and recreation
Against the Clean Power Plan initially opposed by conservative groups, but later became first congressional Republican to endorse Obama's Clean Power Plan seeking 32% cut in power sector carbon emissions
Against cap-and-trade and carbon tax systems to reduce carbon emissions
For fast-tracking approval of the Keystone XL pipeline project

For a New Hampshire law requiring parental notification prior to a minor's abortion; defended the law before the U.S. Supreme Court as attorney general
For current New Hampshire abortion law permitting abortion on request until 24 weeks; would veto legislation restricting abortion during first 24 weeks; opposes federal restrictions on abortion; supports IVF access; previously was against abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or life of mother, and said Roe v. Wade should be overturned in 2010; led effort for 20-week nationwide abortion ban in 2014
Against state funding for Planned Parenthood; for shifting federal funding from Planned Parenthood to other community health centers, though opposed shutting down government over the issue
As attorney general, opposed requiring employers to provide benefits to same-sex couples
For laws requiring schools to inform parents about a student's gender identity; against laws keeping gender identity confidential from parents; vetoed 2025 bills that would have banned LGBT-themed books and created bathroom restrictions for transgender individuals, citing overbreadth despite acknowledging some privacy/safety concerns

Against further rounds of military base realignment and closure (BRAC)
For comprehensive immigration reform (2013 Gang of Eight bill) including a pathway to citizenship, but retracted support for pathway to citizenship in 2024
Against sanctuary cities; for withholding federal funding from municipalities that don't cooperate with federal immigration enforcement
For a task force to patrol the U.S.-Canada border
Against accepting additional Syrian refugees without stricter vetting to ensure no ISIS connections
Against the Iran nuclear deal; for strict new sanctions on Iran
For increased U.S. airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria
For new sanctions on North Korea and a tougher stance on Russia
Against withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq in 2011

For fixing the broken bail system, strengthening drug trafficking enforcement, and backing first responders
For the death penalty, having prosecuted a case as attorney general that resulted in a death penalty conviction
For the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) to address opioid and heroin abuse through prevention, treatment, and recovery support
As attorney general, chose not to join a multi-state lawsuit against Purdue Pharma over false OxyContin advertising, while receiving significant pharmaceutical industry contributions as senator
For reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act
For reforming military handling of sexual assault cases and increasing prosecutions
For the Campus Accountability and Safety Act to combat sexual assault on college campuses
For gun rights protections upheld in McDonald v. Chicago and D.C. v. Heller; against mandatory background checks for all commercial gun sales (Manchin-Toomey); against expanding background checks to gun shows, internet sales, and private transfers; for closing the 'No Fly, No Buy' loophole to block gun purchases by people on the No Fly list; opposed a New Hampshire castle doctrine bill in 2006
Against closing the Guantanamo Bay detention camp; for keeping suspected terrorists there rather than transferring them to U.S. soil or trying them in civilian federal courts
Against the 2015 transfer of Guantanamo Bay prisoners to the UAE, citing terrorism risk concerns