Rudy Giuliani got down to business early on Sunday in Hampton, asserting a national need for tax reform, tort reform and continued efforts to fight terrorism at home and abroad.

The Republican presidential hopeful was frequently interrupted by applause from a supportive crowd at Winnacunnet High School.

He said he supports making military and surveillance services stronger in order to fight what he characterized as "terrorists, dictators and people who support terrorists."

"This is the major issue of this campaign. These enemies do want to harm us, they do think they can conquer us," Giuliani said. "We've got to be a country that deals from strength."

On the economic end, he discussed overtaxing, overspending, too much regulation of business and the abundance of lawsuits as major issues facing the country. He accused his Democratic opponents of not working to find solutions.

His solution, he said, is to let many government jobs stand vacated after workers retire, cut corporate, capital gains and independent taxes and trim regulations on businesses.

Giuliani also said he supports a measure to cut down on frivolous lawsuits, citing a man in Washington who he said sued a family-owned dry cleaning business for millions after it lost a pair of his pants.

"It cost $100,000 for the family that had to defend it, so I ask you, shouldn't he now have to make out a $100,000 check to pay them?"

After fielding a question about the Supreme Court, Giuliani said he would appoint justices and judges who were strict constructionists, meaning they would adhere to the Constitution.

"I want judges who interpret the Constitution, not make up the Constitution," he said.

Giuliani did not mention fellow Republican candidate Mitt Romney, whom he accused over the weekend of wrongly mandating health care for all residents when he was governor of Massachusetts.

Jane Pederson, a Hampton resident, said she went to Winnacunnet to hear Giuliani's opinions on major economic and social issues.

"I think he was very forthcoming and he didn't even have to think about most of his answers. I was very impressed with what he's done for crime in New York City," said Pederson.

Fellow Hampton resident Ralph Smith said he was still considering his voting options, but he also made it clear who he would not be voting for.

"Actually, I'm in the undecided column, so I'm here to hear what he has to say," said Smith, who noted he was also considering Romney. "The bottom line is, anybody's better than Hillary."

Material from The Associated Press was used in this story.