The U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed Robin Smith for the GOP 3rd Congressional District race Wednesday, but the heated primary crept into the proceedings.
Mrs. Smith accepted the award at Siskin Steel and Supply Co. and answered questions with U.S. Chamber Southeastern Regional Director Moore Hallmark. She dismissed questions that her acceptance of the endorsement is tantamount to supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants, as one of her GOP primary opponents, Tim Gobble, recently claimed.
"Voters have heard Mrs. Smith repeatedly claim that she opposes amnesty for illegals, but ... she proudly accepted the endorsement of the amnesty advocates with the D.C.-based U.S. Chamber of Commerce who support the 'pathway to legalization for undocumented workers' as a great 'development' for her campaign," Mr. Gobble's campaign said in a news release.
The U.S. Chamber supports comprehensive immigration reform, Mr. Hallmark said. He said reform would make it easier to identify the illegal immigrants already here and said U.S. policy on immigration has to be "realistic."
"My position on illegal immigration has not changed," Mrs. Smith said. "If you're here illegally, you're a felon."
She said there do not need to be new laws on immigration, just enforcement of the old laws. If "comprehensive immigration reform" is code for amnesty, then she does not support amnesty, she said.
Mr. Hallmark said the chamber evaluated Mrs. Smith's positions on business, not immigration, when deciding on its endorsement.
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"We look at their positions on the issues," he said. "We look at their experience."
To obtain the endorsement, Mrs. Smith had to fill out a questionnaire, but Mr. Hallmark said he had not personally reviewed her answers.
Mrs. Smith said her positions include abolishing the estate tax, ending the mandatory purchasing of insurance under recently passed federal health care reform and lawsuit reform.
After the event, Mrs. Smith said her opponents wouldn't be criticizing her if she were not a front-runner.
"When you're ahead, you're always being shot at," she said.
3RD DISTRICT CANDIDATES
Republicans
Tommy Crangle, Chuck Fleischmann, Tim Gobble, Harvey Howard, Jean Howard-Hill, Van Irion, Rick Kernea, Basil Marceaux Sr., Art Rhodes, Robin Smith, Grover Travillian
Democrats
Alicia Mitchell, Brenda Freeman Short, Brent Davis Staton, John Wolfe
Independents
Don Barkman, Mark DeVol, Gregory C. Goodwin, Robert Humphries, Mo Kiah, Savas T. Kyriakidis
* The state primary is Aug. 5.
Source: Tennessee Department of State