MANCHESTER, N.H. ? John Kerry, rising rapidly in New Hampshire polls, Wednesday highlighted the populist themes that fueled his victory in Iowa, while Howard Dean and Wesley Clark countered by stressing their executive experience.

The day’s campaigning saw most of the Democratic contenders adjusting to a race in which they were increasingly contrasting themselves to Kerry, rather than Dean. The candidates also scrambled to adapt to evidence that Iowa voters had rewarded Kerry and John Edwards for minimizing attacks on their rivals and emphasizing a positive message.

Together, these trends meant that after months trying to match Dean’s fervor, the Democrats mostly took a kinder and gentler path. All of them avoided direct attacks on other candidates and several sought to tap into the currents that powered Kerry’s victory in Monday’s Iowa caucuses — an emphasis on experience and confronting special interests.

The latest polls underscored the shift in the race since Kerry and Edwards finished 1-2 in Iowa, while Dean ran a distant third.

Three polls conducted Sunday through Tuesday for media outlets showed Dean clinging to a small lead over a surging Kerry, with Clark in third place but Edwards’ support growing. A poll conducted for the Boston Globe and WBZ-TV in Boston on Monday and Tuesday showed Kerry pulling ahead of Dean, 27 percent to 24 percent. Clark was backed by 17 percent, Edwards 9 percent and Joe Lieberman 4 percent, with 16 percent undecided.

A survey conducted Tuesday and Wednesday for the Boston Herald gave Kerry a 10-point lead over Dean, with Clark third and Edwards rising.

Clearly buoyed, Kerry pounded Wednesday at what has become one of his favorite targets: drug companies and health maintenance organizations. Speaking in Nashua, Kerry disparaged President Bush’s promise in his State of the Union address Tuesday night to fight the rising cost of health care.

“President Bush talked a good game about making health care affordable,” Kerry said. “But … there’s no way to bring our families affordable health care if you’re not willing to take on the most powerful organized interests in Washington.”

Kerry restated proposals to combat rising drug prices, including measures to allow importation of drugs from Canada and other countries.

The Massachusetts senator also unveiled a new television ad focusing on his populist themes and his experience, the other foundation of his message. “The only way we’re going to beat George Bush is with John Kerry’s leadership and experience,” the ad quotes one voter as saying.

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., shakes hands with voters during a walk down Elm Street in Manchester, N.H. Lieberman is campaigning for next week's presidential primary, but new polls show him in fifth place.