NASHUA — Former President Bill Clinton campaigned on behalf of Maggie Hassan on Wednesday, highlighting the contrast between the former N.H. Senate Majority leader and her Republican opponents for the governor's seat.

“She has the leadership ability, the knowledge, the skills and the pure grit to keep leading this state in the right direction,” Clinton said to a 300-plus crowd at the Radisson Hotel.

Clinton said everywhere in the country, political races revolve around two questions: who is more likely to improve the economy, and, “What kind of people are we, anyway?”

“Are we going back to our motto, 'Out of many one,' 'E pluribus unum'?... Or do we really want to go to this winner-take-all, you're-on-your-own, the-government-is-the-devil-incarnate direction that the Tea Party Republican Party has taken?”

Clinton, who according to a Hassan staffer squeezed in the event between two fundraisers in Massachusetts, lauded the candidate's record in the senate, saying her work was instrumental in several of Gov. John Lynch's achievements.

The former Arkansas governor also took a swing at the N.H. Legislature.

“They cut education so they could cut the cigarette tax?" he said. "That's a great plan for New Hampshire's economic future! Smoke more, learn less.

“Why would New Hampshire, with a low unemployment rate, a skilled workforce, a group of people who are small enough in number to know each other and work together, why in the wide world would you abandon… a proven leader in favor of doubling down on what the Tea Party legislature has already tried to do to you?”

Clinton was joined by an all-star cast of Granite State Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's husband Bill, former state Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathleen Sullivan, and State Sen. Betty Lasky.

Prior to Clinton's address, Hassan fired up the crowd by contrasting herself with Republican candidate Ovide Lamontagne on education.

"(Lamontagne) and Speaker of the House Bill O'Brien want to dismantle our education system, taking us backwards,” Hassan said. “Will we go backwards? Letting them repeal kindergarten? No.”

Hassan also voiced her support for gay marriage, vowing to combat any attempts to repeal it in the state.

“In the Senate, I was so proud to stand up for marriage equality, so that every Granite Stater can marry the person they love," she said. “And now our Republican opponents want to take us backward by repealing marriage equality, too. No way. Not on my watch.”

Following the event, Hassan said Clinton's history with women does not contradict her pro-woman message.

“President Clinton has supported women as equal and free citizens through his policies as president and as governor, and I'm very proud of his support,” she said. “What he did as president was stand up for middle class families and help grow the economy and help create jobs. And that's what we need to do here in New Hampshire.”

Nashua Alderman Diane Sheehan—who supports Hassan because of her pledge against a state income tax, and the electability that lends her—was present at the event. She agreed with Hassan's remarks.

“Hillary forgave him,” Sheehan said with a shrug. “That's between him and Hillary. How many people does that happen to that the world doesn't know about?”

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Simon Rios may be reached at srios@newstote.com.