King returns to New Hampshire to woo GOP voters

DOVER, N.H. -- Rep. Peter King on Sunday trod the path that Sen. John McCain took through New Hampshire to the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 as he returned for a third time to stop in small towns to talk to people one-on-one or in small groups.

King, the Seaford Republican who's testing the presidential waters, has one of the earliest starts of repeat visits to this early primary state -- like his friend and ally McCain (R-Ariz.), who remains admired for "practically" living here before winning the 2008 primary to rescue his troubled campaign.

Marva Coulp, who hosted a private brunch of about 30 GOP donors to meet King in Dover, joked that King has even begun to talk slower, like someone from New Hampshire.

But King Sunday stepped back a bit from McCain amid grumbling by Republicans who backed him in 2000 and 2008, but now criticize him because he's a strong advocate of U.S. intervention in Syria -- a highly unpopular stand here.

King drew about 70 people as the keynote speaker at the Strafford County GOP's barbecue, a smaller turnout than county GOP chairman Bill O'Connor had hoped for.

In his short talk, King never mentioned his own support of a U.S. strike on Syria, devoting most of his time instead to attacks on Obama and boosting the Republican Party.

No matter what your stand on Syria is, King said, "I don't know if there has ever been an example of poorer leadership by a president and commander in chief than we've seen over the last several weeks from President Obama."

He focused most of his talk on assertions of an economy that's mired; workers being laid off; Obama's failure to pursue those who killed a U.S. ambassador in Benghazi, Libya; and on the Republican Party.

King's willingness to meet New Hampshire Republicans on their terms -- up close and personal -- is winning him praise, if not votes yet.

"I think, truly, people in New Hampshire always appreciate the grassroots approach he is taking," said Jennifer Horn, the state's GOP chairwoman.

Al Rozumek, a construction consultant from Dover, said he likes King, adding, "It's nice he's here today."

Rozumek, who backed McCain in both his presidential runs, said because of his Syria stand: "I don't have much use for him." He said he disagrees with King on Syria but at this point won't hold it against him.

Helen Traill, of Barrington, who also criticized McCain on Syria, said she knows King's Syria position, but is willing to give him a break because "all of his other beliefs are pretty much in line with mine."

King began his day stopping for coffee in the small town of Franklin, meeting with Mayor Ken Merrifield and a half-dozen other residents in a small diner. Merrifield said McCain had visited often five years earlier.

"This is a really small state. You can influence the primary by doing exactly what he's doing," Merrifield said.