By Associated Press
Washington, DC – Alabama Republican congressional candidate Harri Anne Smith says she ''hates taxes'' and has signed a vow against raising them. But in a new campaign ad, she criticizes her opponent in the GOP runoff for voting against a tax increase on oil companies.
In an interview with The Associated Press, she also would not say if she would have voted for or against the tax.
The ad injects Governor Riley into the campaign mix as Smith, a state senator from Slocomb, runs against state Representative Jay Love of Montgomery in the July 15th runoff for the 2nd Congressional District seat.
It prompted Riley to make clear he is remaining neutral in his party's runoff.
The ad, which began airing over the weekend, accuses Love of catering to oil companies when he helped vote down Riley's proposal earlier this year to sharply raise taxes on offshore natural gas wells.
The winner will face the Democratic nominee, Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright, in the November 3rd general election.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)