Kelly Ayotte rules out redistricting for New Hampshire

New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte has ruled out joining the rush of states redrawing the lines of congressional districts for partisan advantage in the 2026 midterms.

The governor told a local TV station Friday that it was a question of timing.

“The timing is off for this, because we are literally in the middle of the census period,” she said in an interview with WMUR. “And when I talk to people in New Hampshire ... it's not on the top of their priority list.”

The White House has been urging Republican governors around the country to take up redistricting to increase the party’s chances of retaining the House majority. Texas called a special legislative session to redraw district lines, prompting states controlled by Democrats, including California and New York, to pursue efforts to do the same.

Ayotte, a former senator, made similar comments about the timing of redistricting in December after winning the governor’s race.

Her predecessor, Chris Sununu, vetoed a Republican-drawn map in 2022 that would have created a Republican-leaning congressional district.