“The Vice President’s decision to run this ad speaks more to where he currently stands in this race than it does about Pete’s perspective as a mayor and veteran,” Buttigieg spokesman Chris Meagher responded in a statement.

Biden and his team have said that Iowa and New Hampshire just aren’t their states. For one thing, they’re overwhelmingly white, and Biden does well with African-American voters. They argue that Biden will do better in both Nevada and South Carolina, which are the third and fourth states in the primary calendar and are considerably more racially diverse.

They also say that candidates like Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have an advantage in New Hampshire because they live nearby.

“I think he [Biden] is going to do well,” said former New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D), a Biden backer. “I think it’s always a challenge competing against elected officials from neighboring states.”

“We’re surrounded by two states whose two senators are running,” added Gene Faltus, 67, a precinct captain for Biden in Keene, New Hampshire. “Joe himself admitted he expects not to win in New Hampshire. South Carolina is going to be a big big win for him. And southern states on Super Tuesday.”