Fred DiCappio, a Nashua resident, said he came away from the conversation thinking that Forbes really knows how to say what he means.

Another New Hampshire resident, Roberta Lewis, said she liked hearing about issues other than the flat tax.

She said before hearing him speak to the clergy, she had reservations about Forbes as a candidate.

"The flat tax sounds great," she said. "But I wanted to hear if he was pro-life or not before I vote."

Rick Richards, a Republican from Nashua, said the candidate appeared genuine.

"I don't think he is out to fool everyone," he said. "I think if people see he is not just the tax man, he can do well in the primary."

It may be too late for Forbes to attract more voters today with his new strategy, which follows a barrage of negative ads against his competitors. The most recent polls have placed him significantly below candidates Sen. Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.), Patrick J. Buchanan and former Tennessee gov. Lamar Alexander.

Over the weekend, Buchanan called Forbes a "January man" whose days as a race contender are over. Without a good showing in New Hampshire, Forbes stands little chance of winning the Republican nomination

But Forbes said he plans to stay in the race to the end.

"My views about how to get America moving are larger than this campaign," Forbes said. "We are setting that agenda. I am helping to set that agenda."