HAMPTON — Despite her portrayal in the media as a villain among Democrats this campaign season, presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard said Thursday her values still run blue.

Gabbard was accused of being a "Russian asset" by Hillary Clinton last month and likened to Disney villain Cruella de Vil in a “Saturday Night Live” skit two weeks ago. She was also critical this week of the Democratic National Committee, from which she stepped down in 2016, for unfairly, she said, discounting a Boston Globe poll showing her support in New Hampshire climbing to 6%.

Still, Gabbard said after a town hall meeting at the Community Oven pizzeria Thursday she has no plans of running as a third party candidate in 2020, an answer she has given repeatedly on the campaign trail. The seven-year congresswoman from Hawaii said she still believes in the party's core values like giving "voice to the voiceless," fighting for a "fair and living wage" and protecting the environment.

"I am a Democrat," Gabbard said in an interview after taking photos with town hall attendees. "As the Democratic nominee and as the president of the United States, I look forward to helping usher in a new Democratic Party that is by and for the people."

In the Nov. 25 Boston Globe's Suffolk University poll being discounted by the DNC, Gabbard said Thursday the DNC's decision was inconsistent since it previously counted another Suffolk University poll that partnered with USA Today.

"It's a slap in the face to New Hampshire voters," Gabbard said, "to have this arbitrary system."

Gabbard on Thursday spoke about her stance on ending interventionist wars. A National Guard major who served in Iraq, she said U.S. leadership "lied" to service members about the necessity of the Iraq war. She also talked about fixing the nation's "broken" criminal justice system she said is "tearing families apart," as well as reforming the nation's immigration system and her support for lifting the federal prohibition on marijuana.

Gabbard's town hall drew independent supporters who viewed her as a strong alternative to her opponents in the Democratic field.

"Tulsi's the only one," said Angela Bramante, an independent who called Gabbard a "threat to the system." Tom Chatigny of Seabrook, who also called himself an independent, said he has been following Gabbard for two or three years and was excited when he heard Gabbard talk about her run on the Joe Rogan podcast earlier this year.

"It's just to distract us from the real message of what Tulsi is," Chatigny said. "Standing up against those people, against the establishment."

At the same time, there were some Democrats at the town hall who said they knew almost nothing about Gabbard and wanted to hear her speak. Hampton residents Deborah and Michael Elias said they came to learn about Gabbard's positions on climate change, Deborah being a member of the Sierra Club. They said they were still shopping candidates and had doubts that any Democrat running will achieve their biggest hope – beating Donald Trump.

"I don't see Trump's base diminishing," said Michael Elias. "I do a lot of traveling in the Midwest for business, and they don't seem to see what we see."

Some Trump supporters also came to see Gabbard speak. Gabbard has been said to attract some Republicans who appreciate her service in the National Guard and identify with her public spat with Clinton and other Democrats.

"I respect her a lot," said Hampton Selectman Regina Barnes, a devoted Trump supporter. She said she still plans to vote for Trump regardless in 2020, but she likes that Gabbard is a woman, finds her relatable and respects her stance on ending "regime change wars" in other countries.

"I was interested to meet someone that told Hillary to you-know-what," Barnes said. "She's got guts, and that's what we need."