U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Lowell) mobilized two handfuls of her supporters over the weekend to head up to New Hampshire and canvass on behalf of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) presidential campaign.[img_assist|nid=430|title=U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Lowell)|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=119|height=180]

In an e-mail that went out last Wednesday, Tsongas called on volunteers to head north to help Obama, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jeanne Shaheen, and U.S. Reps. Carol Shea-Porter (D) and Paul Hodes (D) campaign.

The campaigning, Tsongas told PolitickerMA.com, is part of an increased effort to help Democrats win in New Hampshire, which most political analysts consider highly competitive this year.

"We have been working with the Obama campaign," she said. "We need a Democrat in the White House but we are also supporting other Democrats in New Hampshire."

Between 10 and 12 Tsongas supporters made the trip to New Hampshire to canvass as part of the Democrats' coordinated campaign. Tsongas also said she plans to work in New Hampshire as much as her schedule allows.

"As much as possible," she said when asked if she would be campaigning in New Hampshire. "In the end the congressional schedule will dictate, but absolutely. As often as I can and as often as needed."

In addition to being a Democrat, Tsongas has a personal stake in Obama's success in New Hampshire: Her daughter, Katina, is Obama's field director in the state.

The e-mail that Tsongas sent out went to the list she developed during her 2007 special election campaign. Tsongas faces reelection for the first time this year, but does not have an opponent in either the primary or general election. Nevertheless, Tsongas said she maintained her campaign team from the 2007 race, though she only keeps two people on staff.

"We have certainly developed a good broad range of volunteers," she said. "The extent that people want to stay involved in campaigns, I think they can go up to New Hampshire and help with the coordinated effort."

In New Hampshire, the volunteers went door to door asking voters what issues they cared about most, said Kate Donaghue, one of Tsongas' supporters who went to New Hampshire last weekend.

Donaghue said the voters she spoke to "were very receptive" to hearing about Obama. "In general, people were inclined to be in support of Barack Obama and many were very familiar with the issues."

A representative of the Obama campaign greeted the volunteers and provided a list of houses to visit, training trained them in what to ask the voters. Donaghue said that aim was to hear from voters what issues would determine their votes, not "talk at them" about where Obama stands on the issues.

Of the issues that came up, Donaghue said there was a common theme. "There were people struggling to fill their gas tanks," she said. "It is something that people are struggling with all over the country right now."

Donaghue said the trip to New Hampshire is rooted in a long tradition among Massachusetts Democrats.

"Massachusetts is an export state," she said. "It's our custom to work to elect Democrats here, but we also work to elect Democrats in other states."