WASHINGTON – As the congressional returns began to pour in on Election Day in November 2010, Frank Guinta surrounded himself with family members, campaign staff and friends in a suite at the Radisson Hotel in his hometown of Manchester.

The pre-election polls had been running in favor of the Republican challenger, fresh from two stints as mayor. But it was not until the results from Rochester – Democratic incumbent Carol Shea-Porter’s strongest base of support – came in, hailing a victory for the GOP, that Guinta finally let the news hit him.

“He stood there with a smile on his face,” said Guinta’s long-time friend, Will Infantine.

Now, after a year in Washington, Guinta – who came to Congress on the tea party wave, joining an 80-plus member Republican freshmen class – continues to exhibit his self-professed passion for public service as he reaches out to his constituents by hosting events and town hall meetings throughout the first district.

“I feel very engaged,” Guinta said. “I’ve got to do this big oval in the district every time I go back home.”

Since coming to Washington, Guinta has sponsored eight pieces of legislation, including seven bills, most which are currently sitting in committee, and one failed amendment. Additionally, he has co-sponsored 110 pieces of legislation.

That legislation includes a bill that works to ensure in-state health care at full-service VA medical centers for eligible veterans through the Veterans Affairs Department, as well as a bipartisan bill that seeks to address issues of fraud among registered motor carriers, brokers and freight forwarders.

“To me, doing my job and being good at it and being a good reflection of New Hampshire’s values and issues is the best thing I can do while here,” Guinta said.

In addition, Guinta serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Oversight and Government Reform Committee – with the position of vice chairman on a subcommittee that has jurisdiction over the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and federal bailouts of both public and private programs. He also serves on the House Budget Committee.

OpenCongress.org, a project of the Participatory Politics Foundation and the Sunlight Foundation, reports that Guinta has voted with Republican leadership 96 percent of the time.

But Infantine, who serves as a state representative from Manchester and has known Guinta for 12 years, said the freshman legislator’s thoughtful deliberation on issues and votes sets him apart.

Infantine points to Guinta’s decision to vote in favor of increasing the debt-ceiling – an important and controversial vote that drew criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. Following the vote, Guinta hosted a contentious town hall meeting where he defended his vote to constituents.

Despite drawing criticism from many tea party supporters who helped him get elected, New Hampshire tea party supporter Jane Aitken said Guinta’s ability and willingness to explain his decision to increase the debt ceiling demonstrated the House member’s character.

“Frank’s open and takes the time to explain (things to constituents)” Aitken said. “I think, all in all, everyone (from the tea party) is happy with him.”

The current mayor of Manchester, Ted Gastas, who served alongside Guinta as an alderman, also praised Guinta’s strength in communicating with constituents regardless of whether they agree with him.

Like many politicians, however, Guinta has had his share of controversies, including alleged ethics violations due to incompletely filed Federal Election Commission reports – landing him on the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington’s annual “most corrupt” report.

Following a July 2010 article in The Telegraph that raised questions about Guinta’s assets, filed in his financial disclosure form with the House Ethics Committee, the then-candidate filed an amendment outlining additional income.

The move prompted further questions from political opponents who called for an investigation into Guinta’s finances, arguing that Guinta had received the money in question from someone else and had failed to properly disclose the source.

Neither the U.S. Attorney General’s Office in New Hampshire nor the House Ethics Committee would comment on the existence or status of any investigation. A spokeswoman from the FEC said that the case involving Guinta – based on complaints from outside parties – remains pending.

Guinta also came under fire after a September 2010 campaign debate against then-Democratic Rep. Shea-Porter, when he asserted that he had no student loans for his studies at Assumption College, while failing to mention the loans taken out for his law school education at Franklin Pierce University.

According to Guinta’s office, both of the loans, totaling $30,000 to $100,000, were taken out for graduate school tuitions: one for his education at Franklin Pierce University in 2000, and the other by his wife in 1996. Both had previously studied at Assumption College, in Worcester, Mass.

Shea-Porter, who is running to regain the House seat, would not comment on the student loan or financial disclosure controversies, but criticized Guinta’s votes to cut funding for education programs, as well as his policy agenda.

“If you like what the Republicans are doing in Congress, then you’ll like what (Guinta’s) doing,” she said.

Critics of Guinta also point to his low favorability rating in the WMUR Granite State Poll, conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, as proof of voter rejection of his record in Congress. Guinta’s rating in that survey, conducted in mid-October, stands at 30 percent.

The director of the UNH Survey Center, Andy Smith, said that while Guinta’s favorability ratings remain low, favorable support for members of Congress in general is declining.

Fellow New Hampshire Republican Rep. Charles Bass said he believes the poll to be misleading.

“I know the polls say that nobody likes us anymore, but I believe (Guinta’s) probably a pretty popular guy,” Bass said.

Bass, a self-described, born-again freshman, praised his colleague’s ability to work with the New Hampshire delegation, characterizing him as “a good team player.”

In a statement, Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said, “While Frank and I don’t always agree on the issues, we’ve been able to work together on a number of important priorities for our state.”

Amid the mix of criticism and praise Guinta has received in his first year as a member of Congress, Guinta would not say if he was at the top of his political aspirations.

“I don’t have any specific goals about different offices,” said Guinta, who has dreamed of being a politician since he was a child.

“I just enjoy serving and I enjoy the focus of the responsibility the people have given me for this term.”