CONCORD, NH – The nation’s newest governor is hitting the starting blocks by proposing a new government efficiency commission that appears to be modeled to some extent on a similar national effort by President-elect Trump.
Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte of the swing state New Hampshire, in her inaugural address Thursday as she succeeded longtime GOP Gov. Chris Sununu, pointed to future budget challenges due to the drying up of federal COVID relief funding for the states and a decline in business revenues.
“We’re going to have to look for better ways to do things with fewer dollars,” Ayotte said.
The new governor then said, “Because I know that nothing is harder than getting politicians to stop spending money, today I am announcing the creation of the Commission on Government Efficiency, or as I like to call it, the ‘COGE’.”
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Republican Kelly Ayotte, a former U.S. senator who succeeded fellow Republican Chris Sununu, is sworn in during her inauguration at the State House, Thursday, January 9, 2025, in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Ayotte argued that “COGE will make us smarter than ever before when it comes to saving taxpayer dollars and finding better ways to serve the people of our state.”
In one exclusive interview with Fox News Digital Ahead of her inauguration, Ayotte appeared to tease her proposal by emphasizing that “we are looking for new, efficient ways to do business better and serve taxpayers.”
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The move by the governor of New Hampshire comes almost two months after Trump came knocking, days after his victory in the presidential election Elon Muskthe richest person in the world, and former Republican presidential candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to head what he called the ‘Department of Government Efficiency’, better known by its acronym DOGE.
Ayotte’s proposal drew applause from state lawmakers gathered at the New Hampshire Statehouse for the governor’s inauguration. Republicans made big gains in the November elections as they strengthened their majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Former Senator Kelly Ayotte is sworn in as Governor of New Hampshire during her inauguration on January 9, 2025 at the Statehouse in Concord, NH (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
“I think it’s a brilliant approach,” said Republican Mayor Jay Ruais of Manchester. New Hampshire’s largest city, told Fox News.
Ruais, who is considered a rising star in his party, stressed that “appointing a committee like this to address any form of bloat, I think is a perfect approach and will certainly be very beneficial to the state government and our will also certainly help downstream at the local level as well.”
New Hampshire Democrats clearly disagree.
“Governor Ayotte has been in office for less than twenty-four hours, and she is already laying the groundwork for massive cuts to the services people depend on. This is all thanks to years of failed Republican policies she championed.” Ray Buckley, former chairman of the Democratic Party of New Hampshire, argued.
“During her speech, one thing became clear: Kelly Ayotte is taking a page out of Donald Trump’s playbook,” Buckley claimed. “Governor Ayotte is following in Trump’s footsteps and embarking on a dangerous and costly path for New Hampshire.”
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Ayotte, a former U.S. senator who previously served as attorney general, defeated Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig by nearly 10 points in the November election. Her victory left the governor’s office in GOP hands.
In her speech, Ayotte praised her predecessor, whose policies she campaigned to continue.
“New Hampshire is moving in the right direction, and after four terms at the helm, no one deserves more credit for that than Governor Chris Sununu. Thank you, Governor,” Ayotte said.
Former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu is recognized by Republican Kelly Ayotte during her inauguration at the State House, Thursday, January 9, 2025, in Concord, NH (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Looking ahead, Ayotte told Republican state legislative leaders, “I look forward to working with you… to unite our Republican majorities over the next two years to fulfill the promises we made to bring our state into to keep going in the right direction.”
And Ayotte reiterated a long-standing pledge from New Hampshire Republicans that they will “surprise no one when I say this: no income tax, no sales tax, not now, not ever.”
But Ayotte also extended an olive branch to Democrats, saying, “My door is always open. A good government knows no party.”
“I’m going to be governor for you, whether you’re Republican, Democrat, Independent, you name it. Because our state is so much bigger than a party or an ideology,” she added.
And Ayotte, who faced a barrage of attacks from Democrats on the issue of abortion during last year’s gubernatorial campaign, reiterated her pledge to state lawmakers: “If you send me legislation that would further restrict access to abortion our current law: I will veto it.” .”
Abortions are legal in New Hampshire up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Ayotte also made headlines by announcing she will ban cellphones in the state’s public schools.
Pointing to her husband, Joe, a retired Air Force pilot who flew combat missions over Iraq and now teaches high school math, the governor said, “Joe and I talk about what he sees in the classroom and what his students need all the time. He and the thousands of teachers in our state are on the front lines of our education system. Teachers have a unique way of knowing what works for our students and what doesn’t. We must listen to them.
“That is why I am announcing today that we will take action to ban mobile phones in our schools. Screens negatively impact our learning environments and draw students’ attention,” Ayotte stressed.
Sununu, in a Fox News Digital interview on the eve of Ayotte’s inauguration, which was his last full day in office after eight years and four election victories (New Hampshire and neighboring Vermont are the only states in the country to allow a term of have two years for governors), praised his successor.
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“Kelly has been a wonderful friend for decades. She will be a fantastic governor of New Hampshire. She is New Hampshire born, raised, ready to work with a great team here in the state,” Sununu emphasized.
The outgoing governor added that he will always be available for advice while he leaves office. “What else I might add, she knows she can call and text at any time,” he said.
