By WILL WEISSERT and HUNTER WOODALL
Associated Press

NASHUA, N.H. (AP) - Texas Democrat Beto O'Rourke uses his home state as a cautionary tale, ticking through its Republican-backed policies that he says should serve as warning flags for the rest of the country.

Pete Buttigieg (BOO'-tuh-juhj) mentions once worrying about how coming out as gay in Republican Indiana might have cost him re-election as South Bend's mayor.

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (KEER'-sten JIHL'-uh-brand) speaks of moving away from defending gun rights during her early years in Congress representing a conservative House district.

About 20 high-profile Democrats are competing for their party's 2020 presidential nomination. The few from reliably GOP-areas are taking different approaches to trying to convince voters that a familiarity with places that backed Donald Trump in 2016 could be an advantage in denying him a second term.

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