Republicans hold onto the most highly contested governor's seat this year

Republicans volition clasp onto the governor's bureau successful plaything authorities New Hampshire successful what turned into the astir highly contested gubernatorial election this year, a showdown that grabbed tons of nationalist attraction and extracurricular money.

The Fox News Decision Desk projects that erstwhile Sen. Kelly Ayotte, the Republican nominee, volition decision Democratic nominee and erstwhile Mayor Joyce Craig of Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city.

Ayotte volition win fashionable GOP Gov. Chris Sununu, who decided against moving for re-election aft winning and serving 4 consecutive two-year presumption arsenic governor. [New Hampshire and neighboring Vermont are the lone states successful the U.S. that elite governors each 2 years.]

Ayotte, a erstwhile authorities lawyer wide who was elected to the U.S. Senate successful 2010 earlier narrowly losing re-election six years later, easy defeated a crowded tract of rivals successful aboriginal September to triumph the GOP nomination, portion Craig edged retired Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington to seizure the Democratic nomination.

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Former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican campaigner for governor, is surrounded by supporters arsenic she files her candidacy astatine the Secretary of State's office, connected June 13, 2024 successful Concord, N.H. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)

While New Hampshire traditionally holds the first-in-the-nation statesmanlike primary, its authorities superior is 1 of the latest connected the electoral calendar, which sets up a huffy unreserved to the wide election.

National Democrats spent heavy successful the race, pouring successful millions to people Ayotte for her Senate votes a decennary agone connected abortion, and for her enactment this twelvemonth for erstwhile President Trump, whom she had disavowed successful her 2016 predetermination defeat.

Ayotte and her GOP allies besides spent heavy targeting Craig implicit transgression and homelessness during her tenure steering Manchester, which is New Hampshire's largest city.

And pointing to neighboring Massachusetts, wherever Democrats power the authorities authorities and predominate the legislature delegation, Ayotte made her slogan "Don't Mass UP NH" her campaign's rallying cry.

Former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee successful New Hampshire, speaks with voters successful Concord, N.H., Oct. 6. (Joyce Craig gubernatorial campaign )

Ayotte was a rising prima successful the Republican Party successful 2016 with a burgeoning illustration connected nationalist security.

But conscionable up of the 2016 election, she withdrew her enactment for Trump implicit the "Access Hollywood" controversy, successful which Trump successful a years-old video made highly crude comments astir grabbing women without their consent.

"I cannot and volition not enactment a campaigner for president who brags astir degrading and assaulting women," Ayotte said astatine the time. 

Ayotte mislaid re-election by a razor-thin borderline of conscionable implicit 1,000 votes astatine the hands of then-Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan.

But Ayotte somewhat outperformed Trump successful New Hampshire, arsenic Democratic statesmanlike nominee Hillary Clinton edged the White House victor by little than 3,000 votes.

Before retiring afloat clip to New Hampshire, Ayotte stuck astir Washington concisely aft the extremity of her term, shepherding then-Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch (Trump's archetypal precocious tribunal nominee) done his palmy Senate confirmation process.

In her post-Senate career, Ayotte enjoyed a lucrative play arsenic she served connected firm boards and successful advisory roles astatine some nationalist and backstage companies. Among them was News Corp., which astatine 1 clip was the genitor institution of Fox News.

Former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, the Republican gubernatorial nominee successful New Hampshire, speaks with voters astatine the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival. (Kelly Ayotte campaign)

Ayotte during the intervening years besides kept a adjacent oculus connected New Hampshire politics, and would occasionally look astatine Republican Party events successful the state. She besides continued to constitute sentiment pieces connected large state, nationalist and planetary issues.

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Ayotte announced her gubernatorial bid past year, aft Sununu announced that helium wouldn't question re-election successful 2024.

Ayotte stayed neutral successful New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation statesmanlike primary, but she endorsed Trump successful aboriginal March, close aft helium clinched the GOP nomination.

He’ll hole the catastrophe implicit the confederate border, and we’re besides seeing it connected the bluish border, to support the state safe," Ayotte told Fox News Digital successful a June interview.

Ayotte's main hostile successful the GOP primary, erstwhile authorities Senate President Chuck Morse, touted his enactment for Trump and spotlighted Ayotte's past disapproval of the erstwhile president.

But Trump stayed neutral successful the New Hampshire Senate primary, arsenic Ayotte crushed Morse and the remainder of the GOP field.

The erstwhile president, acold down successful the polls successful the Granite State, besides steered wide of the authorities successful the wide predetermination and placed lone the bare minimum of resources successful New Hampshire. 

That meant that Ayotte, different than the beardown enactment she received from the Republican Governors Association, was mostly connected her ain arsenic she battled Craig successful the wide election.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 run trail, exclusive interviews and much astatine our Fox News Digital predetermination hub.