Ayotte, << AY yaht, >> Kelly (1968-…), was a United States senator from 2011 to 2017. Ayotte, a Republican, represented New Hampshire. Prior to her election to the Senate, Ayotte had served as the state’s attorney general.
Ayotte was born on June 27, 1968, in Nashua, New Hampshire. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1990 and a law degree from Villanova University School of Law in 1993. She worked for a private law firm from 1994 to 1998. From 1998 to 2000, Ayotte served as assistant attorney general for the state of New Hampshire. She was senior assistant attorney general from 2000 to 2002. For a few months in 2003, Ayotte worked as legal counsel to Governor Craig Benson. In 2003 and 2004, she served as deputy attorney general.
In July 2004, Benson named Ayotte attorney general. Benson nominated Ayotte for a full four-year term in 2005. In 2009, she was reappointed to the post by Governor John Lynch, who had taken office in 2005. Later in 2009, Ayotte stepped down as attorney general to focus on a run for the U.S. Senate. She won the 2010 election. As a U.S. senator, Ayotte often focused on such issues as limiting government spending and fighting opioid drug abuse. An opioid is an addictive drug that helps relieve pain and promote a feeling of well-being. Ayotte served on the Senate committees on Armed Services, the Budget, Commerce, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship. In November 2016, Ayotte lost her bid for reelection to Governor Maggie Hassan, a Democrat.
