Washington » Rep. Jason Chaffetz says Senate candidate Cherilyn Eagar is inappropriately using his name to gin up support for her campaign against Sen. Bob Bennett.
Chaffetz, a Utah Republican who has not endorsed anyone in the race, says Eagar's latest campaign promotion -- listing him as attending a fund-raiser for her bid -- was the last straw and he's writing a letter asking her to cease dropping his name in wooing conservative delegates.
"She has routinely used my name in association with her campaign, which would lead someone erroneously to believe I support her candidacy," Chaffetz said Thursday. "I'll wish her luck as I do all the other candidates, but she has routinely, inappropriately tried to associate herself with me."
Eagar said Thursday there must be some misunderstanding.
"We let him know specifically that this award would not be presented by the campaign, that it would" come from a third party, Eagar said. "We did not mean in any way it be perceived as an endorsement. Jason and I are friends. If we need to clarify something in the marketing, we will certainly do that."
Eagar's campaign this week sent potential donors an invitation to a fund-raiser featuring Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, known as Joe the Plumber, where Chaffetz was to receive an award from The Independence Caucus. Donors could pay $100 per plate and an additional $100 for a private reception.
Eagar has also admiringly mentioned Chaffetz in at least two other messages sent by the Utah Republican Party to supporters, arguing that Republicans need more conservatives like Chaffetz in Congress.
Chaffetz says when Eagar visited his congressional office recently he said he would accept the award from The Independence Caucus as long as it wasn't tied to a campaign event for her.
"What am I supposed to do?" Chaffetz now asks. "I have no intention or desire to attend this event."
Eagar said she understood that Chaffetz would be in Washington during the event but organizers were making plans to have his wife, Julie, or a congressional staffer accept the award. She stressed that she did not want it to appear as he is backing her campaign.
"I'm certainly happy if it's not clear, to make it clear," Eagar said.
Eagar is one of four Republicans seeking to oust Bennett from his Senate seat; Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, former congressional candidate Tim Bridgewater and James Russell Williams have also announced bids. Chaffetz, meanwhile, has not ruled out seeking the seat himself.
