Bradley, Stephen participate in fierce debate

There is no doubt John Stephen increased spending and then put that cost on the back of taxpayers; the record is quite clear.

Jeb Bradley is the only fiscal conservative in this primary.

Great job at the debate Jeb, way to attack Stephen on the Humans Health Services issues.

I can't wait to see the outcome of th enext debate.

I was at the debate and that "13%" line was all Bradley had against Stephen over and over, it got to the point where you could hear a collective moan coming from the audience when he brought it up again, and the fact that Stephen has a credible defense doesn't make things better for Bradley.

In regards to audience reaction- Stephen Won

In regards to overall performance- Stephen Won

The only potentially credible argument Bradley has is Stephen's complete refusal to use earmarks, but fighting for earmarks isn't going to win Republican votes.

13% is rediculous! How can Stephen get away with bloating a budget that bad! He doesn't even refute that number!

The reason the budget was raised 13% is because of a law BRADLEY passed that practically made it a requirement! After the budget passed Stephen was THEN able to trim the fat and return $143,000,000 back to the taxpayers! John knows how to work within the bureaucracy to cut government, all Jeb knows is how to increase the government to choke off the taxpayer.

This issue is a red herring and you know that the Bradley campaign is simply clinging to it as their last hope, especially by their spamming of these message boards.

I have a hard time believing that anyone would even suggest that John Stephen is a spender. Does Jeb Bradley really think that Republican primary voters will forget how Stephen was vilified by Democrats and HHS bureacrats for harming "morale" at HHS with his economizing? Stephen aggressively sought to control the largest budget in state government, and he was the only prominent Republican who stood up to John Lynch during Lynch's five-year spending spree.

Jeb Bradley was part of the Republican tide that took over Congress and promptly turned its back on Republican principles. Bradley's congressional cohort spent and voted like Democrats, paving the way for the election of the likes of Carol Shea-Porter. The conservative Republican rank-and-file remain disgusted with these turncoats who, in a few short years, squandered the Reagan Revolution.

Jeb Bradley is a big-government Republican. John Stephen is a small-government conservative. I'm not sure anymore whether a true conservative can be elected to Congress from New Hampshire, but I am sure that Jeb Bradley is not entitled to claim that mantle.

Fight it out boys! Which ever of you comes out of this all bloodied has to face Carol. This isn't the state you remember where the Union Mis-Leader crowned the winner.

Jeb is dreaming if he thinks he is coming back. Raise all the money you want, throw in a few million of your own too. It was an army of grass roots supporters that got Carol to Washington in 06. I've looked and that army is still ready, only bigger this time, and with a few more dollars too. Carol will be there again to get us out of Iraq, get universal healthcare, and restore the constitution.

AND.... look out Verizon and ATT. That immunity is temporary. The folks who turned over the call records are going to jail where they belong.

It is easy to say you saved $143 M. Can Stephen show us the numbers?

Does saving other peoples' money make you a fiscal conservative. He told providers he had to cut their rates because the legislature did not give him enough money. He then told the legislature, and oh yes the press, that he had enough extra money to call himself a conservative.

Do the "conservatives" supporting him really know the facts?

2007: DHHS: $1.7 Billion budget, $33.3 million increase (2.0%) over previous year budget.