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Matheson Endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Terry Gildea

Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson got an enthusiastic endorsement from the U-S Chamber of Commerce Tuesday . The organization is launching a voter education initiative to support pro-business candidates.  

The Chamber supports small business and the organization is endorsing lawmakers during this election season that vote at least seventy percent of the time in favor of their issues.  Rob Engstrom is the national political director for the Chamber.  He says Matheson has voted with his group nearly eighty percent of the time.

“Jim’s been a friend of the Chamber for a long time. As you know he voted against Obamacare. He supports reigning in the alphabet soup of nameless faceless bureaucrats in Washington who want to make it harder for our members to do business,” said Engstrom.

Congressman Matheson has always portrayed himself as a pro-business Democrat. He welcomed the Chamber’s endorsement.

“Well, to me I think it’s nice to have a non-partisan group that’s about substantive issues – about growing our economy – endorsing me.  I think that’s a key contrast in my race.  I’m here to talk about how to move this economy forward,” said Matheson.

In 2010, Matheson was one of only 21 Democrats in Congress endorsed by the Chamber. Rob Engstrom says his organization decided to stick with the congressman this year based on his voting record and not endorse his Republican challenger Mia Love. The Chamber is scheduled to release a complete list candidate endorsements in September.

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