http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=6623300

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - Republican presidential hopefuls told New Hampshire party leaders Wednesday night that Democrats would raise their taxes, hurt their families and weaken the United States' security.

In comments that echoed Tuesday night's presidential debate, four Republican candidates took turns wooing more than 650 key activists and donors at an annual fundraiser. Throughout the night, the favorite target was Democrats.

"Can you imagine Democrats in charge? John Edwards, saying there is no global war on terror?" said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. "Where has he been? Tell that to the people of Indonesia, tell that to the people of Thailand, tell that to Pakistan or Egypt, or Sudan and Somalia, tell that to the people in Tanzania and Kenya. Tell that to the people in Madrid, and London, to the people New York. Tell that to the people of America. They don't understand the nature of this global war on terror."

Romney repeated his confidence in the United States' ability to defeat what he calls "radical Islam."

"We will win this war on terror," Romney said. "These challenges get me enthusiastic because I am convinced we can overcome any challenge that we face. ... We have the heart of the American people and it simply does not stop."

Romney said if elected president, he would support programs to help families without raising taxes.

"The inconvenient truth of the Democrats, the inconvenient truth is if that if they get elected to the White House, your taxes will go up," Romney said, referencing Vice President Al Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth."

"The basic concept of the rule of law, I believe, is being trampled into the ground by Democrats who look at the illegal aliens who are coming into our country ... as potential voters, and also by our colleagues who look at them as ... cheap labor," said Rep. Tom Tancredo, who is basing his campaign on a fervent anti-immigration stance. "I will secure our borders, enforce our laws and make English the official language of this country - and I will never grant amnesty to anyone."

He cautioned against the United States becoming a "polyglot boarding house" and against lawmakers who support the proposed immigration plan under consideration in Washington.

"If they vote for this national suicide pact, (voters) will vote against them," Tancredo said. "This is our culture; fight for it. This is our flag; pick it up. This is our country; take it back."

New Hampshire Party Chairman Fergus Cullen joined the attacks on Democrats.

"We see the Democratic majority go too fast, too far on fiscal issues, on social issues," Cullen said.

He cited Democrat-led adoption of civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, a Legislature-approved smoking ban that the governor is expected to sign and a $250 fine for releasing helium balloons.

"I'm not making that up, they did!" Fergus said.

Gov. Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin and Rep. Duncan Hunter were slated to speak later in the evening. Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas had planned to attend, but instead sent a surrogate so he could remain in Washington to work on the pending immigration legislation. Sen. John McCain also sent a surrogate.

The event came against the backdrop of Republican infighting. State Republicans have been spatting internally, with self-describe pragmatists leading the party and self-described idealists fighting them. It's a split exacerbated by significant losses in last year's elections. Democrats captured both chambers of the Legislature for the first time since the 1870s and the two U.S. House seats.

In the aftermath, conservative state Rep. Fran Wendelboe ran for the open party chairman's job, lost to Fergus Cullen and started the New Hampshire Reagan Network. The group plans to support candidates who advocate conservative positions on issues such as same-sex marriage, abortion and gun control.