New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte used campaign funds to send a billboard around Manhattan, encouraging businesses to flee the Big Apple for the Granite State.The truck billboard was in the city one day after Zohran Mamdani was elected Mayor of New York City. The message from Ayotte to New York business owners is if they’re worried about a democratic socialist in charge of the Big Apple, then they can escape to New Hampshire. “So we’re saying welcome, please come to New Hampshire. You’ll have more freedom, lower taxes, and an awesome quality of life,” Ayotte said.>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play > Subscribe to WMUR’s YouTube channel

CONCORD, N.H. —

New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte used campaign funds to send a billboard around Manhattan, encouraging businesses to flee the Big Apple for the Granite State.

The truck billboard was in the city one day after Zohran Mamdani was elected Mayor of New York City.

The message from Ayotte to New York business owners is if they’re worried about a democratic socialist in charge of the Big Apple, then they can escape to New Hampshire.

“So we’re saying welcome, please come to New Hampshire. You’ll have more freedom, lower taxes, and an awesome quality of life,” Ayotte said.

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Among the rotating messages on the mobile billboard that Ayotte paid for with campaign funds was one calling New Hampshire “safe, prosperous, free…what New York use to be.”

The lone democratic candidate for governor, who hopes to be facing off against Gov. Ayotte next year, said this is a tone-deaf gimmick.

“Those ads would be costing thousands of dollars, and obviously not a big deal for Kelly Ayotte in her campaign. But the timing seems to me a little bit strange, given the food SNAP benefit cut that a lot of Granite Staters are dealing with,” said Jon Kiper.

New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley was even less enthused, saying, “Unfortunately, Ayotte is nothing but a pathetic political opportunist who is using our state as a billboard prop to serve her own interests.”

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