As with doctors, the first rule for members of Congress should be: "Do no harm." In his two years down in Washington, 1st District Rep. Frank Guinta has been an immense improvement upon his predecessor simply by adhering to that rule. He also has done some good as well, and 1st District voters should send him back to do more.

Guinta was elected in the Republican wave year of 2010. Democrats demonized him both before and after the election as a radical right-winger who would dismantle the government. Though Guinta is more conservative than his moderate counterpart in the 2nd District, Charlie Bass, he has not proven to be the pitchfork-shaking radical Carol Shea-Porter and her allies make him out to be.

Guinta has generally voted for spending cuts and against tax hikes. He has voted to repeal Obamacare and to pass Rep. Paul Ryan's budget (which, despite Democratic claims to the contrary, increases federal spending, but slows its rate of growth). He has compiled a cautious record of opposing government expansion, whether in the form of massive new spending and regulatory initiatives or massive new tax increases, while promoting policies that will move us away from the reckless borrow-and-spend path down which President Obama is dragging us. What he has not done is take a torch to the federal government.

Shea-Porter, just keeps calling Guinta extreme and misrepesenting his record. That did not work in 2010, and 1st District voters should not let it work now. They should reelect Guinta.