A prominent conservative group has endorsed congressional candidate John Stephen (R-Manchester).

The American Conservative Union's (ACU) political action committee called Stephen "the clear conservative choice" in the 1st Congressional District Republican primary.

"Whether the issue is energy supply, a fiscally sound budget or protecting the life of the unborn, John Stephen has a proven record of support for conservative principles," ACU's Chairman David Keene said in a statement. "Stephen is the only candidate to consistently support increasing our domestic energy supply by opening a tiny portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration and using environmentally sound technology to drill offshore while his primary opponent voted repeatedly to reject these measures."

Stephen is competing against former U.S. Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro) for the chance to unseat first-term U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-Rochester), who ousted Bradley in 2006.

"This is one group that has never wavered in its commitment to the ideals that made the Republicans a majority party and has reminded Congress when it strayed from those principles," Stephen said in a press release. "I am thrilled to receive their endorsement and will work to get America back to the ideals of less government and more freedom in Congress."