Nikki Haley in Exeter: Republican makes pitch to NH voters with call for unity

EXETER — Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley preached the need to unite voters and take back the White House Thursday at the historic Exeter Town Hall, telling one teenage voter she’ll fight for the younger generation.

“What I want you to know is that I will spend my last breath trying to protect you and trying to make sure that you have a better life than we do, because you deserve it,” she told Colton Dessell, 18, an Exeter resident studying at UNH in response to his question.

Haley returned to town for the first time since February, seeking to bring voters into her corner for the 2024 New Hampshire primary. The former South Carolina governor is the second of five Republican presidential candidates to headline forums presented by Seacoastonline and the USA TODAY Network this week.

Asking the last question of the night, Dessell questioned Haley about her message to young, undecided voters ahead of the coming election. The Trump-era U.N. ambassador responded by stating young people need to be brought into conversations about finding solutions to America’s problems, and all groups need to be incorporated into the GOP’s bid to win in 2024.

More: Nikki Haley tells N.H. voters why Trump shouldn't be the president

Haley, 51, called for congressional term limits, mental competency tests for politicians over 75 years of age (part of her argument voters should favor her over President Joe Biden, 80, and Donald Trump, 77), helping American students achieve higher reading and math proficiency levels and securing the southern border.

Haley led with a message on standing up to China and Russia and for the nation to hold steady in its support of Israel following Hamas’ attack on the country last weekend.

“While we have their back now that they’ve been hit, what’s more important is that we have their back when they hit back,” she said.

Haley rises to 2nd in NH polls behind Trump

According to RealClear Politics, Haley’s polling average between Sept. 14 and Oct. 2 among New Hampshire Republican primary voters is 14.2%, second among all GOP White House candidates. Trump is at 45%.

Haley called out Trump’s messaging about events of the past and encouraged voters to look ahead to the future.

How voters responded to Haley's message

Dessell, sporting a bright red tie and sitting front and center Thursday, supports South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and soon-to-be independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his preferred presidential candidates. But Haley’s response to him Thursday night, and her message to his generation, had him feeling high on Haley.

“It sounds like she spoke from the heart… for me, that’s someone I can put my faith in,” he said.

Julie Vaux, an 85-year-old Exeter resident living in town for close to two decades, was the first attendee in line for Haley’s event, arriving mid-afternoon.

Haley is Vaux’s preferred candidate in a crowded pool of presidential hopefuls.

“I think she’s got the experience from the U.N. and being the governor,” she said of Haley. “She’s not going to back down.”

Seventeen-year-old Aiden Neale traveled from Massachusetts with family members to hear from Haley, his favorite candidate in the Republican field. Thursday’s event marked his fourth time hearing Haley speak on the campaign trail.

Neale believes Haley could win the party’s presidential nomination over Trump.

“He has to actually show up and debate. If she and him went back and forth, I think she could win,” he said.

Exeter resident and Phillips Exeter Academy mother Sherry Cao is a parent to two daughters and finds Haley’s run for the presidency inspiring to women nationwide.

As the conservative presidential field has yet to narrow down, Cao believes Haley’s message needs to be one of unity among Republicans and Democrats.

More: Haley attacks Biden, Trump and China in New Hampshire town hall

“She has the government experience and also the foreign policy experience,” she said. “I think she also is the kind of candidate that seems to be approachable to many voters, not like some of the other candidates. I think she’s been moving up in the polls recently. I think she has good policy.”

Exeter residents Barbara Demaggio and Leslie Haslam, who is not a Republican, left Thursday’s event in support of Haley’s call to unite Americans without directly denouncing Trump.

“That to me is a healing message that not only the country needs, but maybe the world,” Haslam said.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Nikki Haley at Exeter NH Town Hall, makes bid to replace Biden, Trump