HANOVER — Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick stressed the importance of strengthening community ties during a campaign stop Monday at Dartmouth College, part of a six-day New Hampshire bus tour, as most of his Democratic rivals concentrated on the Iowa caucuses.
Patrick, who served two terms as governor and grew up on the South Side of Chicago, declared his candidacy late in the primary campaign and drew from his personal experience to make his case before about 30 people at the Top of the Hop in Hanover.
“There were a lot of things we didn’t have in the South Side, but what we did have was a community,” said the 63-year-old Patrick.
Patrick recalled a moment from his childhood when he got in trouble with a neighbor who then disciplined him as if he were her own son.
“Membership in community is understanding you have a stake in your neighbor’s struggles as much as your own,” he said.
Patrick believes investment in small communities shapes his politics and views on international relations.
“I think we have to engage globally because the world is smaller than ever. The economy is global. Climate cannot be solved nationally or by a state or region. It has to be addressed globally,” he said. “We have to do more in coalition.”
Attendees asked about such topics as climate change and foreign policy, as well as broader questions about his position in the race.
On climate change, Patrick spoke about his belief in the promise of solar energy and offshore windmills.
Patrick believes there is reason to be optimistic in climate progress.
“We’re pretty good historically in America at innovation, (but) a lot less good at transition,” Patrick said.
But he added that, “Texas has relied on oil and gas for a long time; they’re the fastest developer of wind energy today. It’s not like (transition is) a hypothetical.”
When asked how he would beat President Donald Trump in the general election, Patrick responded, “All the haters voted for him but not everybody who voted for him are haters.”
He added that he believes the Democratic Party has not spent enough time reaching out to voters in historically Republican states.
“We (Democrats) have a case to make to everybody everywhere. But we don’t make it. We just focus on groups or regions where we think there are reliable voters, so-called swing voters,” Patrick said.
Patrick also said that he supports 2004 presidential candidate and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean’s “50-state strategy” of conducting campaign operations in every state, regardless of party voting records.
Josh Freitag, a freshman at Dartmouth from Washington state, is a member of the Dartmouth College Democrats but said he is waiting for the New Hampshire debate Friday to decide who to vote for in next Tuesday’s primary.
“This was the first time I’d heard him speak,” said Freitag, adding that “it’s heartening to see good people that still have hope in politics.”
Gigi Klipa, a 60-year-old resident of Deerfield, N.H., said that she had been to multiple campaign events and was intending to vote for another Democrat, whom she declined to name, until she heard Patrick speak.
“I have my absentee ballot sitting on my table at home. I thought I had landed my decision, and now I’m here today out of happenstance. I’m listening to him and he has a really important point about leading and governing,” she said. “Now I feel like my head wants to fall off.”
Rohan Chakravarty can be reached at rchakravarty@vnews.com or 603-727-3248.