Normally the endorsement of a nationally known and respected organization like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce would be a positive for any candidate seeking public office.
But in the wake of the Chamber endorsing Republican congressional hopeful Bradley Byrne and subsequently buying $185,000 worth of advertising on behalf of his campaign, some conservative heavy hitters have soured on Byrne. Those include radio talk show host Mark Levin and Red State editor Erick Erickson, both of which view the Chamber’s endorsement as a significant negative. Both Levin and Erickson have gone on to suggest that Byrne’s opponent Dean Young is the true conservative in the first congressional district race, at least somewhat based on the fact that the Chamber is backing Byrne.
“Why would anyone want the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber, who defended BP by calling for a government bailout to clean up the Gulf instead of holding BP responsible and today supports President Obama’s immigration plan to give amnesty to 11 million illegal aliens?” Young told the Mobile Press-Register.
But according to Rob Engstrom, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for Political Affairs & Federation Relations and National Political Director, Young actively sought the Chamber’s endorsement long before the Chamber decided to endorse Byrne.
“I’ve been at the U.S. Chamber for 11 years and literally processed — you know we do about 300 [endorsements] every cycle — so 1,500 endorsements, whatever the number is,” Engstrom said to Yellowhammer News in an interview Friday. “This is the only time I have ever heard in the history of the Chamber’s political program — I’ll go that far — that a candidate would actively seek our endorsement, and then when he didn’t get the endorsement, say he wouldn’t have taken it in the first place. That’s just completely hypocritical and it’s flatly not true. In fact, he turned our own candidate questionnaire in in less than 24 hours.”
Engstrom explained the process of getting the endorsement, which involved the aforementioned questionnaire and input from various parties including the members of the local chambers of commerce and the hierarchy of the U.S. Chamber.
“We have a very formal process. In order to get the endorsement, you have to actively seek it,” Engstrom said. “We will not endorse people unless they fill out the candidate questionnaire and we give everybody the opportunity to do it. Not only is it the candidate questionnaire, but we also call through the local chambers, board members, folks that live in the district. Then it goes through our public affairs committee that’s charged with this function. Then it goes to the board of directors of the Chamber. This doesn’t happen every day, but the Chamber’s board and public affairs committee voted unanimously to endorse Bradley Byrne.”
As for the backlash among some in the conservative community, Engstrom pointed out the Chamber’s extremely high favorability among the public.
“Our favorability rating is almost 80 percent,” Engstrom said. “There is a reason why people actively seek the Chamber’s endorsement. Dean Young himself actively sought the Chamber’s endorsement. We are the voice of the American business community. That’s why this endorsement has generated attention in Alabama. It’s why it’s actively sought by hundreds of candidates every cycle in primaries and general elections.”
Dean Young @YoungForAlabama actively sought US Chamber endorsement…Chamber backs @BradleyByrne. Now Young says he wouldn't accept it???
— Rob Engstrom (@RobEngstrom) October 29, 2013
Bizarre melt down: Dean Young @YoungForAlabama seeks US Chamber endorsement. Doesn't get it. Now says he wouldn't have taken it.#SourGrapes
— Rob Engstrom (@RobEngstrom) October 29, 2013
Mr. Young, you aren't telling the truth. You sought our endorsement and our Board unanimously endorsed @BradleyByrne. @YoungForAlabama
— Rob Engstrom (@RobEngstrom) October 30, 2013
Dean Young @YoungForAlabama has run for office 3 times. He has lost 3 times. This is #4. See a pattern? @BradleyByrne is Chamber endorsed
— Rob Engstrom (@RobEngstrom) October 30, 2013
Alabamians should ask Dean Young why not a single business group has endorsed him. @YoungForAlabama. It's quite obvious. Byrne is the choice
— Rob Engstrom (@RobEngstrom) October 30, 2013
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