What to know about the nation's most competitive governor's race

Why it matters: The race comes after four terms of Republican leadership in the Granite State under retiring Gov. Chris Sununu. He endorsed Ayotte in her political comeback bid after losing her Senate seat in 2018 by fewer than 800 votes.

Craig emerged from a tough primary to draw attention to Ayotte's record on abortion access.

• In ads and on the campaign trail, Ayotte has said she wouldn't alter a 2022 state law that limits abortions after 24 weeks. She's also vowed to veto any proposed law that's more restrictive.
• Craig slammed Ayotte's abortion record from her time in the Senate, where Ayotte had strong support from anti-abortion groups and voted for a national ban after 20 weeks.

The other side: Ayotte's ads have put an unflattering spotlight on the state's largest city, Manchester, where Craig was mayor from 2018 to the beginning of this year.

• Ads claimed Craig's leadership led to an increase in crime and homelessness that plagued the downtown area.
• Craig responded with statistics showing a decrease in crime and overdose deaths over her time in office.