FACT-CHECK: Costly Kelly’s Affordability Claims Don’t Add Up

FACT-CHECK: Costly Kelly’s Affordability Claims Don’t Add Up
 

Kelly Ayotte sat down for an interview on WMUR’s CloseUp, where she said she “woke up every day thinking about how to make lives more affordable.” Despite her efforts to claim
credit for lowering costs, her record says otherwise. 

See her record for yourself: 

Ayotte: “We've worked to get energy costs. They’re too high. But, for example, I've focused on that with the Public Utilities Commission, new leadership, trying to get more energy to the state.”

FALSE: Costly Kelly’s pick for PUC chair, Chris Ellms Jr., “has no demonstrated experience in utility ratemaking [or] cost causation.” Experts warned Ellms Jr. would face a “steep learning curve,” and it’s clear that’s the case, as his results haven’t delivered for Granite Staters. Under Ellms’ and Ayotte’s failed leadership, electricity costs have climbed nearly 15%, and the PUC just approved another rate hike. Ayotte also signed a bill that opens up the door for data centers to expand across New Hampshire — threatening to drive electric costs even higher. 

Ayotte: “[We’ve been] making sure we have more housing supplies so that we can drive down those costs. And we had one of the most productive legislative sessions on that…”

FALSE: Costly Kelly slashed millions in funding for affordable housing initiatives, all while the median price of a single-family home hit another record high under her: $580,000. A mere 15% of New Hampshire families earn an annual salary that allows them to buy a home at that price. In 2026 alone, 83% of households in New Hampshire are priced out of homeownership. 

Ayotte: “When I proposed the budget, I had much more funding for the university system…”

FALSE: Costly Kelly cut $35 million from the University System of New Hampshire (USNH). Ayotte’s “significant budget cuts” have forced every public university across the state to “reduce their staff.” In May, the University of New Hampshire was forced to lay off 35 staff members. Those devastating cuts also hit Plymouth State University, which was forced to lay off more than 30 faculty members and “left [Keene State] with a significant financial gap.”