DARIEN — Area Republicans gathered at Town Hall Saturday to nominate and support its native son and the only Republican incumbent in Congress from the six New England states.

"The last election left me as a caucus of one," U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, of Bridgeport. said in his speech accepting the nomination. "Democrats didn't really win the election of 2006. Republicans lost that election because we lost our way."

Shays said his party had set aside its agenda when it impeached President Clinton in 1999, and more recently when "our leaders cut corners to pursue and maintain power."

Shays had harsher words for Democrats. Liberal activists, he said are even more divisive.

"Though Democrats speak urgently of the challenges we face, their leaders obstruct and delay," he said.

He borrowed from Al Gore's movie title to call global warming an inconvenient truth but also said other issues, such as the country's need for energy independence, progress in the war in Iraq, Islamic terrorism, illegal immigration and decaying infrastructure were also inconvenient truths that need a unified government for solutions.

The first presidential candidate he mentioned was U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.

"The likely nominee of the Democratic Party for president speaks often about reaching across party lines and finding common ground. Barack Obama is right," he said.

Shays added that bipartisanship was part of his DNA, as well as the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, U.S.

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Sen. John McCain's.

Many of the Republican leaders and voters who gathered repeated Shays' campaign mantra, saying that he is a leader who listens to his constituents and votes with his conscience rather than along party lines.

"I don't care who you are, you're not going to agree with everything your congressman does," said Lois Pontbriant, town clerk in Stamford for 24 years until she retired in 1999. "But he's very sincere in all he does."

In the fall election, Shays faces a challenge from Democrat Jim Himes. of Greenwich. Shays received less than 55 percent of the vote in the last two elections.

His wife, Betsi, and Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele spoke. And four retiring Fairfield County Republican state legislators — Sens. Judith Freeman of Westport and William Nickerson of Greenwich, and state Reps. John Ryan of Darien and Claudia "Dolly" Powers of Greenwich — also were honored.

Ted Lopatin, 15, said he wants to volunteer for Shays' re-election campaign because he believes the policies of the Democratic Party are not good for the country.

He was among the youngest people at the event and said he is dismayed that other teenagers are not involved in politics or aware of issues.

"I think they're too busy playing with iPods and text messaging," Ted said.