Cinde Warmington has officially secured the Democratic nomination for New Hampshire’s gubernatorial primary following an unchallenged run on Tuesday night.
This marks her second attempt at the governorship, a role she is pursuing amidst criticisms related to her previous legal work with Purdue Pharma, the company infamous for its role in the opioid crisis in the early 2000s, particularly with OxyContin.
The Republican Governors Association (RGA) has stated that her association with Purdue is a disqualifying factor for the position.
“Considering her involvement in exacerbating the opioid epidemic and her previous remarks calling OxyContin a ‘miracle drug,’ Warmington is entirely unfit to be governor,” the RGA asserted to local outlets. “She prioritized a lucrative payday over the well-being of families in New Hampshire.”
Purdue Pharma has faced significant backlash, investigations, and lawsuits for its aggressive promotion of OxyContin as a non-addictive solution, even as it concealed the drug’s potential for abuse. Last May, the company was ordered to pay a staggering $7.4 billion settlement.
Warmington, however, refutes these allegations, claiming that her connection to Purdue was limited. In a video titled “setting the record straight,” she confronted these attacks directly.
“My dad, whom I loved dearly, dealt with addiction,” she shared. “We didn’t escape the opioid crisis.”
She went on to clarify, “Back in 2001, when I was an attorney and took on a case for Purdue Pharma by a partner’s assignment, I was advocating for patients to receive healthcare that their doctors deemed necessary. What I was unaware of at that time was Purdue’s involvement in wide-scale fraud—something that unfolded only through years of legal battles.”
Previously, Warmington served on the New Hampshire Executive Council, where she represented the state’s 2nd district from 2021 to 2025.
In her initial bid for governor in 2024, she lost to Joyce Craig, the eventual Democratic nominee, in a close race, garnering 41.8% of the votes to Craig’s 47.9%. Craig later faced Republican Kelly Ayotte in the general election.
For her 2026 campaign, Warmington is positioning herself against the rising cost of living. Like many Democratic contenders this cycle, she has been critical of Republicans for their inaction on affordability issues.
“The costs of housing, grocery bills, electricity, and property taxes are overwhelming for working families. And Kelly Ayotte is making things more expensive for you. We can certainly do better,” Warmington stated in a campaign video.
She shares some policy positions with fellow Democrats, advocating for measures against Trump’s immigration policies enforced by ICE, responsible data center construction, and restrictions on investor groups buying up housing. Warmington is also appealing to a wider voter base with promises to reduce taxes.
“I will ensure there are no sales or income taxes,” she promised.
With her nomination secured, Warmington will now face Ayotte in the general election scheduled for November 3.
Ayotte previously won re-election in 2024, defeating Craig with 53.6% of the votes to Craig’s 44.3%.
