[img_assist|nid=4283|title=State Sen. Betsi DeVries (D-Manchester) campaigning in Manchester|desc=Photo Credit: PolitickerNH.com|link=none|align=center|width=420|height=315]

MANCHESTER--On this brisk fall morning state Sen. Betsi DeVries campaigned door-to-door for her re-election campaign.

The Manchester Democrat, also a member of the Board of Aldermen, was also pulling double-duty has she listened to complaints from constituency. DeVries reminded voters she met about a public comment hearing for a proposed recycling center and mentioned the state's home heating assistance program. One voter even handed her a list of concerns.

DeVries is running for re-election against Manchester school board member Doug Kruse in senate district 18.

"It's going very well," DeVries said about the campaign. "I started early in July with going door-to-door."

She added, "I never expected it be an easy race. That's why I started early."

DeVries said that she is "way beyond being nervous" when going door-to-door and added that it can be difficult to meet people if the New England Patriots are playing or if it is nice outside. She also said that as more campaigns sent out canvassers in the last couple of weekends, she has found it harder to get people to answer the door.

DeVries concluded, "It's one reason why we started earlier."

In an interview, DeVries told PolitickerNH.com that the biggest issue on the minds of voters is the economy and paying their home heating bills.

"It's all about the economy right now, people are concerned about what the winter has coming for them," DeVries said. She added that she reminds voters about home heating assistance and tries to get them help if they request it.

DeVries said that the state should consider expanded gambling before raising taxes to help cover the budget deficit. DeVries stressed that she is opposed to an income or sales tax.

"I want to make sure they [the voters] prefer gambling over anything else, expanded gambling is something I have supported," she said.

Later in the day the New Hampshire Democratic Party gave DeVries the Kathy Sullivan Award for voting to oppose placing a spending cap on the November ballot in Manchester.