Republican Kelly Ayotte won’t say who she’s supporting for president

In 2016, New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte was one of a handful of Republicans to denounce Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Eight years later, she says she’s open to voting for him.

Ayotte was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. She lost her bid for reelection in 2016 to Democrat Maggie Hassan. Ayotte launched her campaign for New Hampshire governor in July 2023. She is in a contentious Republican primary against former state Sen. Chuck Morse, a vocal Trump supporter.

Ayotte initially supported Trump’s 2016 campaign and in October of that year said Trump was a positive role model for children. Ayotte later revoked her support for Trump following the leak of the Access Hollywood audio tape in which Trump could be heard boasting about groping women.

“I wanted to be able to support my party’s nominee, chosen by the people, because I feel strongly that we need a change in direction for our country,” Ayotte said in a statement at the time. “However, I’m a mom and an American first, and I cannot and will not support a candidate for president who brags about degrading and assaulting women.”

Ayotte went on to say she would write-in the name of vice presidential candidate Mike Pence.

Despite these criticisms, Ayotte was later tapped by President Donald Trump to help guide Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch through the senate confirmation process. 

In July 2023, Ayotte declined to endorse Trump’s 2024 campaign but indicated she will vote for him if he is the Republican nominee.

“I’ll support our Republican nominee for president,” Ayotte told WMUR News. 

Ayotte made this remark after a court found Trump liable for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll in 1996. 

Ayotte has not endorsed a candidate in the Republican presidential primary. 

A spokesperson for Ayotte did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.