MEDIA RELEASE                                            CONTACT:For Immediate Release                                           Greg MooreJune 28, 2008                                        (603) 206-1223 x1013
John Stephen Continues Vigorous Campaign Across Carroll County Congressional Candidate Meets Voters In Tamworth, Ossipee This Weekend
MANCHESTER, NH- 1st District Congressional Candidate John Stephen has continued his vigorous campaign in Carroll County.  On Friday night, Stephen held a meet and greet event at Samantha's Inn in Tamworth.  He spoke to 45 area residents about the need to bring change to Congress.               "Washington is broken, and we need to send someone there who can fix it," said Stephen.  "We have seen inaction on increasing energy supplies to cut the skyrocketing cost of gas and oil, wasteful spending on new programs that are driving us deeper into debt and bad policy that is driving up the price of food at the supermarket.  We need change now.                 "I have a proven track record of delivering results.  At Health and Human Services, we returned over $143 million in my four years there, which shows that you can make government more efficient and effective.  I also headed welfare reform efforts that have dropped the welfare rolls by 20% and moved the number of recipients who are working from 16% to 50%.  That's the type of direction we need in Washington."               On Saturday, Francis and Kathleen Lord of West Ossipee hosted a house party for Stephen that drew 50 guests.  Stephen focused his speech on the topic of the rising price of gasoline and oil.               "We need more energy supply here in America, and that means that we need to get rid of the restrictions on oil and gas exploration that Congress has put in place," noted Stephen.  "We need to open up our offshore supplies as well as in Alaska to allow us to produce more of our own oil and less from foreign countries.  Americans are being crushed by the high cost of $4 a gallon gas and we need action.  I am running to bring the change to get us moving forward again."
John Stephen is the former Commissioner of Health and Human Services.  Prior to that position, he served as the Assistant Commissioner of Safety, where he also worked as the state's first Homeland Security Coordinator.  Stephen also served as a prosecutor for 10 years, in Hillsborough County and as an Assistant Attorney General.  He is a Manchester resident.