Kelly Ayotte, a Republican and former United States senator, was elected governor of New Hampshire, The Associated Press reported.
Ms. Ayotte, who also served as the state’s attorney general, will succeed Gov. Chris Sununu, a moderate Republican who is leaving office after four terms. Mr. Sununu had endorsed her.
Ms. Ayotte entered the race with greater name recognition than her Democratic opponent, Joyce Craig, a former mayor of Manchester. But the race remained tight up to the finish, as Democrats aggressively went after Ms. Ayotte for her record on abortion and her support for former President Donald J. Trump in the presidential race.
Support for Mr. Trump in New Hampshire had weakened in recent months, with Vice President Kamala Harris leading in most polls, a factor that some thought would help Ms. Craig. But Ms. Craig was forced to defend her record as mayor of Manchester, the state’s largest city, where homelessness and drug overdoses have been persistent problems.
As governor, Ms. Ayotte will have to grapple with a budget deficit that could reach $1 billion. One factor is the scheduled phaseout of one of the state’s few taxes, on interest and dividends. During the campaign, Ms. Ayotte criticized Ms. Craig for opposing the tax phaseout, and warned voters that the state was “one election away from turning into Massachusetts.”
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