EWPORT, N.H. -- Though he has spent less time campaigning in New Hampshire than almost any other Republican candidate for president, Texas Governor George W. Bush insisted yesterday that he's not taking the first-in-the-nation primary state for granted.
''This is an incredibly important state and it's a state that... sends messages all the time, and I understand and I'm going to work hard so it doesn't send a message to me,'' Bush said, from behind the chair at Dodge's Barbershop.
Both Bush's supporters and opponents have been complaining in recent weeks that he is not serious enough about one-on-one New Hampshire-style politicking and that he is ducking two important debates with his Republican opponents - one last night and one next week.
Bush played down the criticism, promising that he would increase his presence here. He said scheduling conflicts were to blame for his absence from the two debates.
''I'm going to be here a lot,'' he said, when asked if he was taking the state for granted. ''I think the important question to ask is how many hands have I shaken, how many voters have I actually seen. I can't give you a specific head count, but I can tell you the crowds have been huge, and there have been a lot of people, and I've stayed around for every event to shake every hand that I can.''
Yesterday was the governor's fifth visit to New Hampshire, compared with 17 for Senator John McCain of Arizona and 13 for Steve Forbes, the publisher.
During his visit, Bush picked up the top leaders from Elizabeth Dole's disbanded campaign yesterday, including state chairman Jesse Devitte, and cochairs Claira Monier, Toni Pappas, Sherry Young, and Alec Koromilas.
As for the debates, Bush said he was unable to attend last night's forum at the University of New Hampshire because he had promised in July to give the keynote address for the Vermont Republican Party's annual fund-raiser in Sugarbush.
He said next week's debate at Dartmouth College conflicts with Bush's wife receiving an alumna award at Southern Methodist University.
''I wouldn't have missed it for anything,'' Bush said. ''My family is my priority, and if it costs me votes for honoring my wife, then so be it.''
