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By Carter Allen, Alexa Barnes, Robbie Heilberg, Joshua Ludden, Sophia Solano

NASHUA, N.H. 鈥� Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden鈥檚 Get-Out-The-Vote rally Sunday afternoon highlighted his despair several times, evoking more teary eyes than applause.

While other candidates create hopeful or uplifting campaign messages that promote a specific vision of the future of America, the former vice president used his time before Tuesday鈥檚 primary to connect with voters by talking about his own struggles.

A local supporter, Michelle O鈥橪eary, opened the event at Alvirne High School with a story of her son, who suffers from a life-threatening illness and now has a chance to live longer because of the health care improvements offered in the Affordable Care Act, President Obama鈥檚 landmark legislation.

That led Biden to a story about his late son, Beau, the eldest of his children . Within the first four minutes of his speech, he gave a synopsis of Beau鈥檚 life trajectory and how his illness affected it. Then he talked about Obamacare.

鈥淚 do remember, Michelle,鈥� he said, as his voice cracked. 鈥淵ou brought it back. Without the Affordable Care Act, what would鈥檝e happened.鈥�

Biden got his first applause 15 minutes into his 23-minute speech when he mentioned the Violence Against Women Act. At the end of his speech, he spoke of loss rather than what his voters have to gain.

鈥淟ike many of you, I鈥檝e lost a lot in my life,鈥� Biden said. 鈥淚鈥檝e lost my wife and daughter in a car accident. I lost my son to cancer. But I鈥檒l be damned if I lose my country,鈥� he said, prompting the loudest applause of the evening.

Biden then moved to audience questions, which yielded long-winded responses, putting the event over time by about an hour.

The rally was 24-year-old Trevin Morgan鈥檚 second campaign event of the day, sandwiched between a rally for Sen. Amy Klobuchar and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg鈥檚 town hall. Morgan was still undecided but said he was leaning toward Buttigeig.

鈥淲e鈥檝e had four years of spicy chicken wings,鈥� Morgan said,鈥渁nd I just want a glass of milk for the next four years.鈥�

Biden鈥檚 campaign has leveraged his experience as a senator and vice president as his greatest asset, but for many voters, Washington credentials aren鈥檛 persuasive.

鈥淗e鈥檚 been in DC, and not that he鈥檚 done a bad job, but he鈥檚 been in there a long time,鈥� Morgan said.

Other supporters, such as Michelle Dougan, a New Hampshire resident, said she valued Biden鈥檚 focus on health, 鈥渉ealth care is important to me in this election because I just transferred from a job where it was too expensive for me to afford.鈥�

And Massachusetts resident Mike O鈥機onnell found Biden to be a trusted presence.

鈥淗e鈥檚 steady, he鈥檚 reliable, he鈥檚 been through the process. He can bring America back from this nightmare,鈥� O鈥機onnell said.

In one response, to an undecided voter鈥檚 question about potential cabinet nominees, Biden described a diverse, hypothetical roster.

鈥淢y administration will look like the country. It will be made up of women, and blacks, and browns, and people that represent the diversity of the country, just like our administration,鈥� he said.

Although he frequently rambled, he made many connections with the audience. Biden crossed the rope line to interact with people for nearly an hour after the event officially ended, leaving only after his staff鈥檚 prodding.