The chamber ranks each congressman according to several dozen votes. Matheson sided with the chamber position 23 times out of 32 votes the business group deemed important. That's more than a 70 percent "correct" voting record, according to the chamber.

But Matheson said he didn't know those 32 positions before the votes. "Some groups send over a fax or something to let you know their position. But, anyway, you never know those (position-ranking) votes until much later."

Christensen said the national chamber's TV ad is a perfect example of how Matheson has disingenuously "orchestrated the pursuit of certain endorsements" in an effort to fool 2nd District voters into believing he's conservative, when in fact he is not.

"On a local level, I've gotten awards for standing with Utah taxpayers," said Christensen, R-Draper. "Jim received a 'D' grade from the National Taxpayers Union — and that is a more telling" stand on where Matheson really is on fiscal and pro-business matters, Christensen added. The NTU Web site says Matheson voted with the union's positions just 37 percent of the time.

An attorney and developer, Christensen said he better understands Utah business needs than does Matheson.

"I'm actually out there working in the local business community. Jim asks these groups: What do I have to do to get your endorsement, and then he votes as he needs to on a few bills" to get it, he said.

Matheson denies that he votes any specific way to get endorsements. But he's pleased to get support from such a well-known national group. Two years ago, Matheson was one of about 20 Democrats endorsed by the chamber, compared to more than 200 GOP candidates supported by the chamber.

The chamber's pro-Matheson ad shows groups of senior citizens and then compliments Matheson on voting for the Bush-backed Medicare prescription drug package.

"TV is expensive, I certainly couldn't run ads now" and afford to stay on TV through November's final election, Matheson said.

"You won't see any (Matheson-paid-for) TV ads until later in the fall," the three-term congressman said.

Running for the first time in 2000, Matheson said he saw the U.S. Chamber spend about $250,000 in TV ads criticizing him. Those ads wrongly misstated his stand on a senior citizen drug insurance plan, Matheson complained at the time. Matheson demanded that local TV stations take the chamber ad off the air, saying it was scandalous and inaccurate.

The chamber then changed the ad, demanding that Matheson take a stand on prescription drug benefits. Matheson responded that he had taken such a stand.

Two years later, in Matheson's first re-election bid, the chamber switched and supported the Utah Democrat, providing campaign cash.