Republican former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte sworn in as 83rd governor of New Hampshire

Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte has been sworn in as the 83rd governor of New Hampshire. Ayotte succeeds fellow Republican Chris Sununu, who decided against seeking a fifth two-year term. During her campaign, Ayotte promised to continue Sununu's anti-tax, pro-business economic policies. She is the third woman to be elected governor of New Hampshire. In her inaugural speech on Thursday, Ayotte said she would keep New Hampshire on a prosperous path but warned that belt-tightening would be necessary as lawmakers write the next two-year budget. She promised to bring people together and prodded young people to “step up and contribute.”