The unlikely duo taking the New Hampshire campaign trail by storm

Kids say the darndest things – and on the bustling presidential campaign trail in New Hampshire, two elementary school students are proving just that, and more.

The Granite State is known for its seasoned first-in-the-nation primary voters, who take presidential candidates to task every election cycle with tough questions at town halls in high school gymnasiums and diner stops.

But this year, the stars of the show are two politically savvy 10-year-olds with campaign ambitions of their own.

Hannah Kesselring and Adam Grossman have each attended rallies for major GOP presidential candidates who have swarmed the Granite State over the past several months.

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Their thoughtfully curated questions often take the candidates and fellow audience members by storm – and have unintentionally caused dustups on the trail.

And while the fourth graders didn’t know each other before the start of the 2024 campaign cycle and have only met in person once, they both take pride in the fact that their presence has helped uplift the younger generation in a state with one of the oldest populations in the country.

“I'm the youngest person in the room, unless there's like a baby,” said Hannah, who has decided to support former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley. “I always think out of all that people in the room, they chose me. Why? It’s always a glorified feeling when they answer your question.”

The hat that helped spark Hannah’s passion

Hannah never expected to be thrust into the limelight when she attended her first campaign rally. It was right after the third GOP debate, and she was so impressed with Haley’s performance on stage that she begged her parents to take her to see the former United Nations ambassador in person.

While eagerly waiting in line for Haley’s event at the Hip Peas Farm in Hooksett, two ladies asked Hannah whether she liked the former South Carolina governor.

“I was like, ‘I like her, but I want to be the first woman president,'” Hannah, who is home schooled, remembered. “And the campaign manager overheard what I said, and he was like, ‘Here's a free hat for that answer.’”

The moment set the rest of the night in motion. When Hannah later stood up to ask Haley a question, the candidate commented that she “loved the hat,” igniting a light-hearted back-and-forth that caught national fire.

“I said, ‘Thanks, one of your guys gave it to me for free,’ and the whole room blew up laughing,” Hannah explained. She then asked Haley about the first action she would take as president.

The exchange went viral, even landing on ABC’s "Jimmy Kimmel Live," and propelled Hannah to want to attend other events. But it was far from the start of her interest in politics and American history.

At age 5, Hannah’s mom said she began memorizing names of the presidents off a placemat she had and would often go to the polls on election day with her parents. In 2020, when in-person voting was less possible because of the pandemic, Hannah made her own voting booth and started staying up late to watch the debates and election returns.

This year, the passion has blossomed. Hannah has attended at least a dozen campaign events since November, including more than five Haley town halls, two events for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, three gatherings for former New Jersey Gov. Christie, who recently dropped out of the race, and a rally for former President Donald Trump.

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“We want her to also see everybody, so she realizes that everybody’s got a thing to say, a voice, and it’s important to watch it all,” Hannah’s mom, Kim, told USA TODAY.

Adam’s unlikely exchange with Haley

Adam, who lives in Bedford, Massachusetts, is a kindred soul with Hannah.

He too owns a presidential placemat and has memorized the names of all 46 U.S. leaders and 49 vice presidents. In art class at school, he often tries to draw and paint the faces of important political figures like Sens. Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer.

The 10-year-old's interest in questioning political figures was sparked earlier this year after he saw his local state representative at a restaurant meet-and-greet, and it’s quickly taken off.

During a rainy vacation in North Conway in late December, Adam’s father, Steve, decided to take his son to a Nikki Haley town hall happening down the road.

More: A change of tone? Nikki Haley ramps up Trump attacks ahead of New Hampshire primaries

When the former governor called on the fourth grader near the end of the event, he had his question ready.

“So Chris Christie thinks that you're a flip-flopper on the Donald Trump issue. And honestly, I agree with him. You're basically the new John Kerry,” Adam said to the candidate. “How can you change your opinion like that in just eight years, and will you pardon Donald Trump?”

The comment quickly caught wind and landed Adam invitations to events for other candidates, including Christie.

But he and Haley are still on good terms.

“I basically said to her, ‘I want to be at least a Senator’ and she said, ‘I think you can be president and I can be your campaign adviser,’” Adam said, recalling a one-on-one conversation he had with Haley shortly after the exchange.

A 2060 presidential ticket?

While the two kids can’t vote, that doesn’t mean their questions don’t matter, they say. After all, it’s their futures at stake. And they’ll be left leading the country in a few decades – literally.

Hannah and Adam both dream of running for office when they’re older – and they’ve joked about taking on the challenges together.

“Me and Hannah made a deal that we're going to run on a presidential ticket,” Adam said, but he said the rest of the details are fuzzy. “I don't know yet whether I’ll be a Democrat or Republican. That’s a thing I can’t decide.”

Right now, however, Adam is most focused on being a kid. After the primary's over, he’s looking forward to spending more time snuggling with his cat, watching YouTube videos on politics and playing the videogame Roblox. He’s also planning a trip to the nation’s capitol, where he is hoping to meet and question more political figures, like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

More: ABC News cancels Republican primary debate in New Hampshire over lack of candidates

Hannah is planning to use her platform to advocate for civic involvement when the Granite State primary is over. She has made pins reminding voters that it’s their civic responsibility to “Go Vote” and has already passed them out to major political figures.

In terms of asking questions, she says, it’s time to give other people her age a shot.

“I think I’ll be done asking questions for a while because I want other people to ask questions,” she told USA TODAY.

“You asked what do I want for my generation in the future? And I hope my generation continues to ask them questions.”

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These 10-year-olds are the latest sensation on the New Hampshire presidential campaign trail