Brenda Freeman Short said that if she's elected to represent Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District, she will focus on job creation and veterans issues.
"We have to have tax incentives to create jobs," she said.
The Democratic candidate spoke Wednesday to the Chattanooga Times Free Press editorial board.
Mrs. Short said she's been meeting with local businesspeople to get their ideas on how to solve the unemployment problem.
As a congresswoman, she also would emphasize supporting the military, she said.
She is personally anti-abortion and said she does not agree with everything in the recently passed federal health care reform bill. For one thing, she said, there will not be enough primary care doctors to deal with the influx of patients into the system.
She most closely identifies herself with former Democratic Congresswoman Marilyn Lloyd, who held the 3rd District seat before Republican Rep. Zach Wamp. Mrs. Short also formerly worked in Mrs. Lloyd's office.
Richard Wilson, a professor of political science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, said Mrs. Short may profit politically from her relationship with former Rep. Lloyd.
"I would think she is one of the leading candidates on the Democratic side," Dr. Wilson said. "She seems to have support from those people in the Democratic Party who revere former Congresswoman Lloyd."
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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
ABOUT BRENDA SHORT
Brenda Freeman Short
Age: 64
Occupation: Board member, Community Bridgebuilders; works teaching constitutional law to women in the prison system.
Fundraising: Less than $20,000