DERRY — U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, made a quick stop at the Republican field office in Derry Monday afternoon, hitting hard on Republican campaign talking points including the floundering economy and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s presidential debate performance last week.

A crowd of several dozen supporters who gathered inside the storefront campaign office cheered loudest when the speaker brought up the Romney-Obama debate.

“A poll of battleground states showed that 73 percent of the people who watched the debate thought Romney won,” Boehner said, adding that even 63 percent of Democrats in those states gave the edge to Romney.

During his 10-minute speech, Boehner touched on his own background as a regular guy — one of 11 brothers and sisters — who entered politics after growing a small business and serving on his homeowner’s association.

As a member of Congress, Boehner said he has steadfastly fought for small, less costly, more accountable federal government.

“I want to make sure our kids have the same opportunities we had,” he said, through economic growth and less federal regulation.

“America can’t handle four more years of Obama’s economic policies,” Boehner said. “He can’t run on his record, so he is going to run on everything but his record.”

While every four years the chorus of “the most important election in your lifetime” is raised, Boehner suggested that this election cycle, that cliché rings true.

“This election is about getting the economy working and getting people back to work,” he said.

Before Boehner spoke, supporters heard from Derry state Sen. Jim Rausch and U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta, R-N.H.

“Nov. 6 matters and every day between now and then matters,” Guinta said. “We want to make sure everyone does all they can to get out the vote for the Romney-Ryan ticket.”

Guinta said the election is not only about getting Romney elected President, but is about making sure there is a Republican majority in the House and Senate to move Romney’s agenda forward.

Boehner noted that Democrats only need to win back 25 seats to take back control of the House.

“But to get it, they’ll need to pry it out of my cold, stone hands,” Boehner said, paraphrasing the famous Charlton Heston line.

While the cheers were loud outside the office, there was a Democratic presence outside before Boehner arrived.

Carl Gibson, of a group called the Fire Frank on Nov. 6 Campaign, said Guinta has voted against job creation and for tax breaks for millionaires.

Meanwhile, a sad-looking Big Bird, no doubt inspired by Romney’s debate comments about cutting funding for the Public Broadcasting System, held a sign protesting Romney’s plan to hike taxes for the middle class.

Republican supporters who brought their young children to the rally attempted to take photos of their children with the Big Bird look-alike while cropping out his sign.

aswift@newstote.com