▁New ▁Ham pshire . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Governor ▁B enson ▁appointed ▁Ay otte ▁as ▁Att orney ▁General ▁of ▁New ▁Ham pshire , ▁after ▁the ▁res ignation ▁of ▁Peter ▁He ed . ▁She ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁and ▁only ▁woman ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁New ▁Ham pshire ' s ▁Att orney ▁General , ▁serving ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁after ▁she ▁was ▁twice ▁re app oint ed ▁by ▁Democratic ▁governor ▁John ▁Lyn ch . ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Ay otte ▁res igned ▁as ▁Att orney ▁General ▁to ▁purs ue ▁a ▁bid ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate , ▁after ▁three - term ▁inc umb ent ▁Jud d ▁Gre gg ▁announced ▁his ▁ret irement ▁from ▁the ▁Senate . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Ay otte ▁won ▁a ▁close ▁victory ▁over ▁lawyer ▁O v ide ▁M . ▁Lam ont agne ▁in ▁the ▁Republican ▁primary ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate . ▁She ▁then ▁defeated ▁Democratic ▁con gress man ▁Paul ▁H odes ▁in ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁with ▁ 6 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁and ▁was ▁sw orn ▁into ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 1 2 th ▁Congress ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁Ay otte ▁was ▁mentioned ▁as ▁a ▁possible ▁running ▁mate ▁for ▁Republican ▁nom ine e ▁Mitt ▁Rom ney ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁president ial ▁election .