Exeter Prime Venue for Vice President Visit

Exeter, with a modest average household income of $56,000 and a swing voting populace that mirrors New Hampshire as a whole, couldn't be a better venue for the Obama campaign to spread its populist tax reform message when Vice President Joe Biden comes here this week, according to one town official.

Biden will appear at Thursday at 12 p.m. He will argue for the implementation of the "Buffett Rule," which would make millionaires pay more taxes.

The Obama campaign claimed it's in contrast to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who "wants to protect millionaires' and billionaires' loopholes," the campaign said.

Coincidentally – or not – for the Obama campaign, Romney was in Exeter in August, when he reiterated his remark in response to raising taxes.

Biden's Exeter visit will allow the Obama campaign to reach a huge voting bloc, as Exeter is comprised of a single voting district with more than 9,000 registered voters. It's the largest such district in the state.

"Exeter is one of the more powerful political towns in the state," said Exeter Selectman Matt Quandt.

Exeter's Democratic base has been energized for months after resident Maggie Hassan, a former state senator, she's running for governor. Volunteers set up a and have hosted there.

In 2007, Hassan appeared with Biden at a house party in Exeter. She will be there for Biden's event Thursday.

Exeter businesses are helping to spread the Obama campaign's tax reform message ahead of Biden's visit. , owned by Exeter Selectman Dan Chartrand, will hold a phone bank Wednesday.

But Exeter is far from a Democratic stronghold. Its state senator, Russell Prescott, is a Republican – as are six of its eight state representatives.

"Numbers-wise, we're a part of the swing state," said Quandt, who himself is a Republican state representative.

Exeter has been as one of several key swing states in the November general election.

And while Exeter voters overwhelmingly chose Obama-Biden in 2008 over McCain-Palin by a margin of 5,258-3,365 votes, they are very familiar with Romney, who owns a vacation home near Lake Winnipesaukee and was governor next door in Massachusetts.