She added, “I believe Pence is a coward,” alluding to the inaccurate perception, nonetheless pushed by Mr. Trump, that his vice chairman might have rejected sufficient electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, to ship the 2020 election again to the states, and probably overturn Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory.

Within the outdated days — earlier than tremendous PACs flooded the airwaves, social media introduced politicians’ messages on to voters’ smartphones and partisans have been glued to their favored cable information exhibits — displaying up on the Fourth of July actually mattered.

“Retail has all the time been largely theater, however now it’s all a efficiency for the cameras, not about assembly common folks and listening to their issues,” stated Fergus Cullen, a former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee.

This yr, Mr. Trump’s rivals hoped it nonetheless did matter. In Merrimack, N.H., volunteers and supporters backing Mr. DeSantis waited to stroll with their candidate within the Fourth of the July parade there, standing close to a dance troupe in sizzling pink shirts, a picket float crammed with members of the Bektash Shrine Clowns and a yellow faculty bus adorned because the boat from the Boston Tea Celebration.

Nevertheless it was one other Republican presidential hopeful, Mr. Scott, who brought about a stir first, displaying up on the parade route trailed by a passel of photographers and tv cameras.

“Hopefully a few of these voters will change into our voters,” Mr. Scott informed reporters when requested his ideas on the folks in DeSantis and Trump gear who have been coming as much as shake his hand. “However on the finish of the day, we thank God that we’ve got of us which are dedicated to the nation, dedicated to the idea that the conservative values all the time work.”

Exterior a pancake breakfast in Merrimack, N.H., former Consultant Will Hurd of Texas and his spouse, Lynlie Wallace, blended with runners at a highway race.