GOFFSTOWN--Fresh off their re-election campaigns U.S. Reps. Paul Hodes (D-Concord) and Carol Shea-Porter (D-Rochester) told state Democrats that they will need to spend the next two years reaching out to voters and expanding the party if they want to keep Democratic control of New Hampshire's House seats.

"I can't sit back and the people of this district can't sit back," Shea-Porter said at the Democratic state committee meeting this past weekend. "This seat is going to be one of the Republicans top targets."

Shea-Porter told the Democratic gathering at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics that it could take years before Democrats are able to solve the nation's problems.

"It takes a lot of work to clean up after an elephant," Shea-Porter said.

Shea-Porter also said her victory demonstrated that "you don't really have to go negative to win."

Hodes said Democrats face mounting national challenges but said that he needs local Democrats to keep inform about issues facing New Hampshire residents.

"We've taken our country back and now we've got our work cut out for us," Hodes said.

He later added, "I need your eyes and ears here."