John Stephen emerged as the Republican nominee to represent District 4 on the Executive Council in Tuesday’s primary following a contested race with six candidates vying for the win. In November, Stephen will face off against Democrat Jim O’Connell, who ran unopposed.

Stephen, a resident of Manchester, has served as the commissioner of the Department for Health and Human Services, deputy commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Safety, assistant attorney general, and Assistant Hillsborough County Attorney. He is the founder and partner at The Stephen Group, a consulting company.

In Tuesday’s primary election, Stephen won against fellow Republicans Terese Bastarache, Robert Burns, John Reagan, Ryan Terrell, and Ross Terrio. 

“At the end of the day, I was really impressed with the turnout on both sides,” he said of the primary. “My goal has always been to really make sure that we’re really able to get our message out to as many voters as possible.”

District 4 comprises Allenstown, Auburn, Barnstead, Barrington, Bedford, Candia, Chichester, Deerfield, Epsom, Goffstown, Hooksett, Lee, Londonderry, Loudon, Manchester, Northwood, Nottingham, Pembroke, Pittsfield and Strafford.

After beating the five other Republican candidates in the race, Stephen said he feels good about his campaign and looks forward to continuing to meet voters before the general election. He especially appreciates the connections he makes with people while door-knocking and said it’s a unique opportunity to hear constituent concerns.

Stephen highlighted how his experience as the commissioner of Health and Human Services – a role for which he often went before the Council – and the work he’s done since has helped him see the areas in which he can make an impact as a councilor. 

“The council can have a lot of influence in getting commissioners to move forward when sometimes the commissioner doesn’t even realize there’s a delay,” Stephen said of promoting government efficiency, notably when it comes to supporting small business owners and the inspections and permits they need to operate.

On the Democrat side of the race, Jim O’Connell, also a Manchester resident, serves as vice chair of the Manchester School Board and has worked in the business and technology industries, including founding a cybersecurity company in the early 2000s. O’Connell hails from Ireland and moved to New Hampshire three decades ago to start a family. Now retired, O’Connell seeks to fill his time giving back to his community.

“I have watched as my children have grown up in the state of New Hampshire, products of public schools, and I’ve seen challenges their friends have had, that the families around them have had, and I’ve seen the disconnect between the rhetoric of Republicans on the Executive Council and the realities of lived lives of people in our state, not just in Manchester but across our district,” O’Connell said.

Both Stephen and O’Connell seek to serve New Hampshire residents to the best of their ability.

Stephen said he wants to grow the New Hampshire Advantage, help small businesses prosper, and ensure the state runs efficiently. He has centered his campaign around advocating for accountability in government, responsible fiscal management, public safety, and protecting individual freedoms.

“I want New Hampshire to be fiscally sound,” Stephen said. “I want New Hampshire to continue to provide opportunities for citizens to raise their families, purchase homes, enjoy the beautiful land and scenery – also with less regulation, with less spending and more personal freedom.”

O’Connell emphasized that his experience on the Manchester School Board, including overseeing a construction project of over $300 million and advocating for higher wages, running a business, working on large transportation endeavors, and managing public/private partnerships has prepared him well for the role of executive councilor. He said will continue going around the district to meet people and hear their concerns. O’Connell also reiterated his commitment to ensuring reproductive rights, healthcare, and free education for New Hampshire residents.

“To find ourselves in 2024 with an Executive Council that is defunding important programs that the poorest people in our state and many people in our state rely upon, the turning back of federal funding because of ideological reasons, I think all of that has no place on the Executive Council,” O’Connell said.

Rachel Wachman can be reached at rwachman@cmonitor.com.