[img_assist|nid=65|title=John Stephen, a former prosecutor and assistant attorney general, is seeking the GOP nomination for Congress in the 1st distric|desc=|link=none|align=none|width=420|height=338]
GOFFSTOWN -- Republican congressional candidate John Stephen said the Real ID bill passed by Congress was an example of the "DC values" his primary opponent, former U.S. Rep. Jeb Bradley stands for.

"That's another example of DC values creeping into New Hampshire," Stephen (R-Manchester) told the Goffstown and Weare Republican town committees last week. "Jeb Bradley was a sponsor of that bill."

Stephen and Bradley are battling each other for the right to take on freshman U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-Rochester), who defeated Bradley in the Democratic landslide election in 2006.

The primary contest is considered close with Stephen grabbing numerous endorsements in Manchester and even from former Republican Gov. Craig Benson. Yet Bradley has significant backing from Republican allies he worked with in Washington during his two terms there.

This has created a dynamic Bradley stressing his experience in the job and Stephen stressing his more conservative "New Hampshire values".

Stephen, who most recently served as the state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, was known for trying to find ways to cut spending. He accuses Congress of increasing spending.

"I was able to live out those values in every position I have held," he said.

Stephen spent most of his stump speech advocating a conservative fiscal message of lower taxes and lower spending.

"The best time to lower taxes is now. We need to make the Bush tax cuts permanent and lower the capital gains tax," he said.

He also focused on ways to lower the cost of health care.

"Health care can be affordable when there's competition, empowerment and less government regulation."