John Stephen continued on the attack of his Republican primary opponent in the First Congressional District, Jeb Bradley, by saying is partly responsible for the federal budget deficit.

WMUR-TV's show "Close-Up" aired two back to back taped interviews with former Congressman Bradley (R-Wolfeboro) and the former Health and Human Services Commissioner Stephen (R-Manchester). While Bradley argued he has the experience in Congress and "of how to run a campaign" (a dig that Stephen has never been elected to office), it was Stephen that did most of the attacking.

"I like Jeb Bradley, but the bottom line here is over the past five years there has been $1.5 trillion in deficit spending. Why are we in the problems we are seeing today? It is because spending in Washington has been out of control," said Stephen.

"Congressman Bradley, while he was there, voted on four occasions for budgets that contained massive deficit spending and that's a difference. I believe in controlling spending and making sure we are able to get our fiscal house in order. He also voted against Republican bills that capped the level of spending somewhere around the cost of inflation. Those are New Hampshire values of voting to control spending, Congressman Bradley had that opportunity and I think we need to get people down to Washington that represent the New Hampshire values of limited government and less spending," said Stephen.

Bradley said, however, from his 12 years in the state legislature and the four years in the Congress shows he has an ability to work with Democrats to solve problems.

What is very clear on the minds of voters is ... sending people to Washington who have a track record to bring about positive change and that is what I have done," Bradley said.

Asked how he lost to Democrat unknown Carol Shea-Porter last fall, Bradley said explained it away as a Democratic wave.

"I think there were a lot larger issues going on in 2006 that are much bigger than Carol Shea-Porter or myself. It was not just about me," he said.

When Bradley was given an opportunity dig Stephen he kept it clean.

"Our records will speak for ourselves," said Bradley before bringing up his previous terms in conference.

On New Hampshire Public Television's "Outlook" there was an extended conversation about Gov. John Lynch's State of the State. The guests included Steve Norton of the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy and Charlie Arlinghaus of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy. Both agreed that a constitutional amendment on education funding was really the only option Lynch and the legislature have given the current political environment.

On Arnie Arneson's Political Chowder (airing on MyTV) education funding expert Daphne Kenyon discussed her new report on property taxes for the Lincoln Institute. Later in the show former state senator and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mark Fernald said it is the elderly that is most burdened by property taxes.