Patrick jumped into the presidential race 11 days ago. His decision to run made waves in his home state of Massachusetts, which he shares with frontrunner Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Patrick acknowledged he and Warren had an awkward phone call when he got in to the race.

"It was uncomfortable. We're friends," Patrick said. "I think in an ideal world we would be working as collaborators rather than competitors. But I think you can compete with your friends and keep it friendly."

Patrick delivered a message of unity during his remarks to a crowd of about 200 people. He laid out a vision for how "woke" Democrats and activists can work together with people who "are still waking" to defeat President Donald Trump.

"Openness to working with others is the formula for change that lasts. That's why I'm running for president. We need leadership that's about bringing us together, not tearing us apart. We need leadership that's about leaving things better for those who come behind us, not about scoring partisan points," Patrick said in his speech, before taking audience questions for more than 40 minutes.

Many in the audience were members of the Massachusetts political class, including former Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Tim Murray, who served with Patrick. Patrick was elected governor of Massachusetts in 2006, and served two terms. When he left office in 2015, Patrick began working in the private sector at the private equity firm Bain Capital.

"There's more Massachusetts plates out here than I think New Hampshire plates," said Fred Kocher, a founder of Politics & Eggs, who sat at Patrick's table.

Several prominent local Republicans were in the room, including Tom Rath, a longtime Republican strategist. He said he probably wouldn't vote for Patrick in the general election but would consider it if he's the nominee.

"I think you've got to look at the whole field," he said. "There are people on the Democratic side that I would think in a general election — if he were the choice — you'd have to take a good, hard look. And Patrick, were he to get that far, would fit that definition."

Former state Supreme Court Chief Justice John Broderick, one Joe Biden's biggest backers in New Hampshire, said Patrick needs to spend a lot of time in the state if he has any hope of dislodging the former vice president.

"If I were him at this time, I would basically move here," he said. "I'd be doing an event every single day, I'd be having small town halls, I'd be doing local media. ... I'd be doing everything I could so that people heard my name every, single day."