STRATHAM — As winds blew and storms threatened, Ann Romney spoke to a crowd of about 500 gathered at Scamman Farm on Saturday for the annual Seacoast Republican Women's Chilifest to talk about her husband's plan to get the country back on track.

Introduced by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) as the next first lady of the United States, Romney commended Ayotte for being a rising star in the Republican party and said she can't wait for Ayotte, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to put their heads together and “talk some real sense to this country.”

Romney said she was thrilled to have the opportunity to speak at the Republican National Convention in Tampa two weeks ago, and to hear her son, Craig, speak, but it was the testimonials from real people about how her husband has helped their families that she was really grateful for.

She said there were some friends who were “real sick and tired of the lies being told” about her husband, and the press trying to “demonize” a guy who is a caring, decent person.

She said people are always asking why her husband does not tell these stories himself.

“Don't we understand … the first principle of service is that's not why we do it, is we go talk about it,” Romney said. “And there truly is something that you take away from that if you do go and be boastful about those things. It diminishes you and it diminishes the people we serve.”

She said if there is one thing voters need to know about her husband, it is that he is a guy they can count on, and he is a guy who does not fail.

“If he's the President of the United States, he will not fail you. He will be there,” Romney said.

She said it has been a very long journey since Mitt announced his candidacy at Scamman Farm in June of 2011. The family farm owned and operated by Stella and Doug Scamman was referred to as “Republican Holy Ground,” by GOP gubernatorial hopeful Ovide Lamontagne earlier in the event.

Romney said it is not easy to win New Hampshire as a Republican presidential candidate, but she said former New Hampshire governor John Sununu convinced her it is going to happen this year.

“I feel pretty confident about it,” Romney said. “I really sense that New Hampshire is starting to figure it out, that we are tired of empty promises, that we've had enough of these empty promises, that we want someone with real leadership skills that knows how to turn things around, that understands the economy, understands job creation and can get this economic engine going. I can't wait to give Mitt Romney the keys to that engine.”

Sununu spoke early in the event and encouraged those gathered to make phone calls, talk to voters, and make sure people get to the polls on Nov. 6.

“Modern politics is a turnout game,” he said.

Ayotte also encouraged those gathered to serve as a “truth squad.”

“There is nothing short of the future of our country at stake in this election,” Ayotte said. “As I stand before you today, I can tell you, I firmly believe this is the most important election in my lifetime, really, with what is at stake for our country. So we can't leave anything behind on November 6.”

Many other GOP candidates for state offices spoke during the 13th annual chilifest.

gmacalaster@newstote.com