The campaign for the Executive Council District 5 race began in earnest with Republican Stephen Stepanek accusing his opponent of breaking campaign promises.

Stepanek, a state rep. from Amherst, said that current Executive Councilor Debora Pignatelli (D-Nashua) has failed to stop no-bid contracts and reduce tolls in Merrimack.

"We live in a time where the people's trust in their elected officials is at an all-time low," Stepanek said in a press release. "And quite honestly, elected officials don't deserve that trust because all too often promises are made in campaigns, but are rarely honored.  Sadly, this is the case with current Executive Councilor Deborah Pignatelli."

Stepanek held a press conference at the Legislative Office Building in Concord to discuss the campaign.

"If the voters of District 5 want more election year promises, then they should vote for Deborah Pignatelli.  But if they want action - not political rhetoric - then I hope they will join my effort to bring reform to state government and vote for Stephen Stepanek," he said.

Update: "My opponent for Executive Council issued a press release recently alleging that I violated my vow to Merrimack in failing to bring about toll relief," Pignatelli wrote in a letter addressed to Merrimack residents. "As I am sure that members of the Town Council can attest from my numerous visits, I never made a vow that I could eliminate or reduce tolls for Merrimack residents.  I consistently informed them and townspeople that it would be a very tough sell in Concord, just as your state representatives have found in their efforts.  The only vow that I could have made in good faith to Merrimack was exactly what I did—to give it all that I had."