Romney struck a different tone moments earlier, when he quipped to his New Hampshire audience that his home state senators were Edward M. Kennedy and John Kerry, both Democrats. "Want to trade?" he asked.

Romney also struck a partisan chord last week when he chastised Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., for voting against an Iraq war funding bill. He branded them members of the "Democrat Party," considered a derisive term by both parties.

In addition, Romney again railed against the proposed immigration deal negotiated between President Bush and Democratic and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill. Last week, the president chided his critics, saying, "this bipartisan bill is the best opportunity to move forward."

Romney started his day on a sour note when a restaurant patron declared he would not vote for him because of his faith.

"I'm one person who will not vote for a Mormon," Al Michaud of Dover shouted at Romney when the former Massachusetts governor approached him inside Harvey's Bakery in downtown Dover.

Romney kept smiling as he asked, "Can I shake your hand anyway?"

Michaud replied, "No."

Michaud later told reporters he was not "a right-winger," alluding to some evangelical Christians who have compared Romney's faith to a cult. Instead, Michaud stated said he was "a liberal."

He said he planned to vote for Clinton should she win the Democratic presidential nomination.