STRATHAM�� By the time this presidential election cycle finishes in less than a year, Peter Buttigieg envisions a scorched-earth political landscape. If, as he plans, he is the next president, he knows a lot of repair will be necessary.

�The sun is going to come up on a country that is even more divided, even more torn up by politics, even more polarized than we are now,� he said. �Think about what it�s going to be like with everything we�ve been through, everything we�re about to go through. After being at each other�s throats for so long, we�re going to need to be unified and gathered into a common purpose and a common direction.�

Buttigieg, a Democrat, stopped in at the barn of John and Marilyn Decker as part of a four-day, 13-stop tour of the first-in-the-nation primary state.

Before a crowd of more than 200, Buttigieg took on President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress. He also discussed issues such as providing health care, addressing gun violence, assuring reproductive rights, leading a global initiative on climate change, improving the economy to the benefit of all Americans and immigration.

�We will not come together as a country unless we solve these crises that are dividing this country, and I am running to be the president who can stand on the rubble at that moment, pick up the pieces and gather us into a common vision for a better way forward,� said Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

In late October, a CNN 2020 New Hampshire Primary Poll, conducted by the UNH Survey Center, Buttigieg was fourth at a 10% preference behind Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (21%), Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (18%) and former Vice President Joe Biden (15%).

Buttigieg described Trump�s theatrics of hugging an American flag as �cheap nationalism.�

�When somebody raises their voice to blow the whistle on official misconduct, that is an act of loyalty to the republic for which it stands,� Buttigieg said, referencing the whistleblower report on alleged quid-pro-quo behavior involving Trump, military aid to the Ukraine, and political dirt on Biden and his son, Hunter.

He noted how a New York judge ordered President Trump to pay $2 million in damages to nonprofit groups after the president admitted misusing money raised by the Donald J. Trump Foundation to promote his presidential bid, pay off business debts and purchase a portrait of himself for one of his hotels, instead of going to the stated purpose of helping veterans.

�Any other presidency and it would be game over,� he said. �If Congress won�t hold the president accountable, then it�s time for the people to hold Congress accountable.�

While Sanders and Warren call for a Medicare for all program that eliminates the need for private insurance, Buttigieg advocates a combination of the two � make Medicare for all available, but let people keep their private insurance if that is their preference.

�I don't think we should order you to be on that plan,� he said. �If you want to keep your private plan, fine. I think ours is better, but I'm going to trust you to decide if it's better for you.�

Buttigieg said if he is the nominee he is prepared for the attacks he�s likely to receive, both for being gay and being mayor of a city with a high poverty rate � 25.4% in South Bend, compared to 14.6% in Indiana, and 12.3% nationally.

�I�m ready for what this president is going to throw around because that�s how they campaign,� Buttigieg said, describing attacks as �tweets full of typos.�

Susan Hazo of Stratham, a Buttigieg supporter who attended the rally, said he thinks �he�s one of the smartest candidates in the running.�

�I feel like he can bring everyone together," she said. "He's a veteran so he understands that side of things where a lot of times you think of that as a Republican candidate, but he's a Democrat so he gets the social side as well.�