Using a dictionary, Cannon defined amnesty as a pardon, and a pardon as anything that excused an offense without exacting a penalty. He has co-sponsored and supported legislation that would create a temporary-worker or guest-worker program to allow some of those in the country illegally to change their status to legal, with penalties attached.

"I support an adjustment of status only if it includes meaningful penalties for illegal behavior," Cannon said. "Otherwise, it is an amnesty."

Meanwhile, Jacob defined amnesty as a "mass-pardon for lawbreakers."

"In short, amnesty is looking the other way while a crime is being committed," he said.

Jacob only supports a guest-worker status for people who go home first.

But during his campaign Jacob has proposed a system that would help illegal immigrants who had been in the United States for at least 10 or 20 years.

"It's not an amnesty," he has said of the program, which would give out "very rare" FastPasses to those who qualified.

Those who qualified would be required to leave but given a date when they could return, sort of like the FastPass used at Disneyland so people don't have to stand in line for the most popular rides.

Another major point of contention that has come out of the campaign, but which was not addressed in the questionnaires, is how and why immigrants are here illegally. Jacob said the 12 million to 20 million illegal immigrants jumped the border to take advantage of American jobs and social programs and do not want to stay.

Cannon said as many as half are people who came here legally but overstayed their visas because want to live here and want to become legal U.S. residents but can't navigate the immigration system both candidates agree is broken.

The most obvious differences between the candidates are revealed in response to questions about what each would offer voters compared to their opponent.

Jacob said he will be better at listening to 3rd District residents, and that he believed it is time for a change as Cannon completes his fifth term in Congress.

"We now have a federal debt of $8.3 trillion," Jacob said. "No Child Left Behind has failed, gasoline prices are soaring, and 12 million uninvited, illegal immigrants have crossed our borders. . . . We deserve better."

Cannon continued to tout his experience in Washington as his advantage to "get things done."

"We are a small state and that reality demands effectiveness from our congressional delegation, and I believe my record reflects that effectiveness."

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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com; dbulkeley@desnews.com