Kelly Ayotte was elected to the Senate in 2010, where she was ranked as one of the most bipartisan senators working across party lines to find solutions to our nation’s biggest challenges. Most recently, Senator Ayotte has served as the “Sherpa” for Judge Neil Gorsuch, leading the effort for the Trump Administration to secure his confirmation as an Associate Justice to the United States Supreme Court. During her tenure in the Senate (2011-2016), Senator Ayotte chaired the Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Operations. She also served on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Aging Committees.

Senator Ayotte has been named by Foreign Policy magazine as one of the top 50 Republicans on national security affairs in the country. She is a strong advocate for our nation’s military readiness and our service men and women. She worked to pass legislation to improve the acquisition process to provide our troops with the resources they need to defend the nation. She fought for budget certainty, and also opposed defense sequestration and helped lead efforts to end it.  As Chair of the Readiness Subcommittee, she also led efforts to strengthen the infrastructure and workforce at the nation’s public shipyards.

Prior to serving in the United States Senate, Ms. Ayotte served as New Hampshire’s first female Attorney General from 2004-2009.  First appointed to that position by a Republican governor, she was twice reappointed by a Democratic governor. Senator Ayotte also served as the Deputy Attorney General, Chief of the Homicide Prosecution Unit—New Hampshire’s top murder prosecutor, and as Legal Counsel to Governor Craig Benson. She began her career as a law clerk to the New Hampshire Supreme Court and as an associate in the litigation department of McLane Middleton, New Hampshire’s largest law firm.

Senator Ayotte currently serves on the boards of the International Republican Institute, the McCain Institute and NH Veteran’s Count.

Senator Ayotte graduated with honors in 1990 from the Pennsylvania State University and earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1993 from the Villanova University School of Law. She is married to Joseph Daley, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force, who flew combat missions in Iraq. They live in Nashua, New Hampshire with their two children, Katherine (12) and Jacob (9).