New Hampshire campaign sounds a lot like Iowa — with an accent

MANCHESTER, N.H. - It could have been a campaign stop anywhere in Iowa except for the New England accents, the 'Live Free or Die” license plates in the parking lot and the fresh seafood on the menu.

The sentiments were right off the Iowa caucuses campaign trail, however.

'No, I haven't made up my mind,” Manchester, New Hampshire, retiree Robert Olson said as he waited for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to arrive at Theo's On Elm, a local pizzeria.

Beside, he's only met four of the 17 Republicans seeking their party's 2016 presidential nomination.

Diana Lachance, who had her Walker campaign sticker stuck to her face, was closer to making up her mind.

'(Walker's) my top choice,” she said, adding quickly, 'right now.”

Immigration - 'illegal immigration” - is one of her top issues. Lachance's grandfathers came from Scotland and Italy, but she think people who break the law to enter this country ought to expect to go to jail.

Olson, a former truck driver and printer, wants to hear about Medicare, lower taxes and more gun control. He's also in favor of term limits and getting rid of lobbyists.

Ankeny native Elizabeth Ropp had a question about lobbyists for Walker. The Manchester acupuncturist is concerned that foreign policy isn't being set in the best interest of folks like her, but for the benefit of defense contractors who spend millions on lobbying and millions more helping elect candidates they like.

'I understand we need a strong military, national security, you know, but I don't want our foreign policy dictated by corporations,” she said.

Ropp wasn't impressed by Walker's answer.

'Word salad,” she said, shaking her head.

New Hampshire State Rep. Brian Gallagher, R-Sanbornton, is pretty sure he's found his candidate.

'He's genuine,” said Gallagher, who hosted the governor at his house back in May and just finished Walker's book, 'Unintimidated.”

'He has values and humility and the vision to fix things,” Gallagher said. 'If he's willing to step up after what he's been through in Wisconsin, he's got backbone.”