DERRY — Anticipation was high as volunteers manned the phones at the self-described Republican Derry Victory Office on West Broadway on Thursday evening.

As volunteers awaited nominee Mitt Romney's GOP convention speech, many of the volunteers and Republican supporters on hand to watch the convention said there has been an increase in excitement about the election over the past week.

“Everyone is fired up about the Republican convention,” said New Hampshire Victory communications director Tommy Schultz.

At events over the past week, Schultz said he has seen greater interest in the Republican ticket, helped by vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan's convention speech Wednesday night.

“The volunteers here thought he did a great job,” said Schultz. “He provided a vision and a road map for the issues. People in New Hampshire want to focus on the pocketbook issues.”

For volunteer Vicky Boteat and her dog Rocky, who serve as a mascot at the volunteer headquarters, using the convention time to call potential voters was critical.

“We don't want to be run under communist rules and the federal government,” Boteat said. “We don't want the government to take over.”

Marilyn Jaspar said she was volunteering in her first election and used a maritime metaphor to express her desire for a Romney victory.

“We are waiting for Romney's ship to come in,” she said. “Obama is cool and has a good-looking family, but there are serious problems and Romney and Ryan have the tools to fix them.”

► NH GOPers: Do you have photos from the 2012 Republican National Convention you'd like to share? Visit www.unionleader.com/section/submitconvention to send them.

From bringing in cupcakes to the office to calling voters, Jaspar said she was willing to do anything she could to help bring about a Romney/Ryan victory.

Fresh in from a day of campaigning, state Rep. James Webb said he also sensed the energy from Ryan's place on the ticket.

“I think Ryan is an excellent choice,” Webb said. “He's very intelligent and (Wednesday) night was awesome when he spoke. There was a lot of energy there.”

Nationwide, Webb said he wasn't sure how much attention voters were paying to the presidential campaign, but he said the voters of New Hampshire have been taking notice, especially with the roles that state bigwigs John Sununu and Sen. Kelly Ayotte are playing in the campaign.

Volunteer Dick Burns said he is especially impressed by Ayotte, saying she reminds him of former United Nations ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick.

“She has the same manner and I hope she runs in 2020,” said Burns. “In the meantime, we have to get Mitt elected.”

Burns said he believes Romney embodies the American dream.

“The Republican picture of the American dream is that if you work hard, you get ahead,” he said. “My father had a saying that this is a free country, you can do pretty much anything you want, and in the end, you get what you deserve. That's what I see in Mitt, he has gotten what he deserves.”

aswift@newstote.com