By Daymond Steer

CONWAY — Eighteen-year-old Zac Mercauto says he is "honored" to accept the vice chairmanship of presidential hopeful Donald J. Trump's campaign in Carroll County.

Mercauto, of Conway, will be working under chairman Nate Sullivan, an owner of The Yankee Clipper Inn Hotel and Blueberry Muffin Restaurant. He is one of several young Republicans who are making waves in the Granite State.

Zac Mercauto thinks Donald Trump has the stuff to turn the ship of state around. (JAMIE GEMMITI PHOTO)Trump, 69, of New York, the billionaire real estate mogul known for his TV reality show "The Apprentice," recently announced he is seeking the Republican nomination for president.

"It's a privilege to work for a man of his stature," Mercauto said.

Mercauto, a rising senior at a private school in Tamworth, said he got the opportunity to work for Trump's campaign through a connection with a local mentor.

Of Trump, Mercauto said: "He knows how to run a business. His net value is near $9 billion, which is significant."

Mercauto, who says he has been involved in politics since age 10, wants to help Trump get the U.S. back on track in terms of economics. He said he worries about making sure the country is in good financial shape decades from now, when people his age are getting set to retire. But he is also concerned about current trends.

Right now, said Mercauto, many people in his generation are focused on trying to get jobs, and they are having a hard time.

"I want to make sure my community is safe, and I want to make sure my community has income, because right now under the current leadership, they are not having that, I would say," said Mercauto, adding that Trump clearly has the background as a successful business executive to turn the ship of state around.

Carroll County Delegation chair Karen Umberger (R-Conway) was pleased to hear of Mercauto's involvement.

"That's absolutely wonderful," said Umberger. "He's been very active in the last election cycle, and I'm just thrilled."

Carroll County Republican Chairman Lino Avellani of Wakefield described Mercauto as an "up-and-coming Republican."

NH GOP Communications Director Michael Zona couldn't say if Mercauto is, in fact, the youngest campaign co-chair in New Hampshire history, but he pointed to other rising stars in the party who are of a similar age. He said candidates often have campus chairs who are young.

"There are a lot of excited young Republicans getting involved in New Hampshire politics," Zona said.

They include Yvonne Dean-Bailey of Northwood, who in May, at age 19, won a House seat in Rockingham County's 32nd district against a much older Democratic candidate. She is the currently the youngest member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Rio Tilton, who turns 19 this month, is running in a special election in July for a seat in Rockingham County's 20th district representing Seabrook and Hampton Falls. If he wins, Tilton would become the youngest House member in the state.

There also are young Democrats in high places. Rep. Travis Bennett, 22, of Plymouth is now serving his first term as a state representative.

Mercauto says he enjoys politics because he likes to know what's happening in the world. After graduating from high school next year, he wants to study marketing. He will be in the valley through the elections.

As vice chairman for the county's Trump campaign, Mercauto is responsible for doing public outreach, and he's learning the ropes from Trump staffers.

He said his responsibilities include talking to local media such as The Conway Daily Sun and national outlets such as Politico, which has already interviewed him. He told Politico's Katie Gluek that Trump "doesn't want to be negative about his opponents, he's very respectful, I would say. I know some people who may argue about that, but personally, he's a positive man, he knows how to run something, let's give him a shot!"

Mercauto also wants to organize local events for Trump. He will be trying to find speakers to come to Carroll County who will campaign on Trump's behalf as well as making phone calls on behalf of the campaign.

"The north country is critical to winning the primary in 2016," said Mercauto, who has also worked on Scott Brown's Senate campaign in Massachusetts and Mitt Romney's presidential campaign.

Asked whether he was tapped because of his youth, Mercauto said Trump wants to connect with people of all ages.

"It really is about getting every age involved," said Mercauto. "Every vote matters to Donald Trump."

Mercauto hasn't met Trump personally, but he did attend an event the candidate hosted about a year ago. Mercauto said Trump has been to New Hampshire several times, including a recent visit to Manchester.

On "The Apprentice," Trump drafts people from all walks of life to perform various tasks and compete against each other. He's known for dismissing people with his catch phrase "you're fired." Asked if that made him nervous, Mercauto replied: "If you are not doing your job correctly, you may need to be fired. He is a tough manager. If he is not liking your job performance, he may get rid of you.

Mercauto added: "I'm eager to do a good job for him. He's not going to fire me."