BIDDEFORD -- Charles Summers of Scarborough today won the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in his bid to capture a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Summers, a former New England administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration, earned the endorsement with his experience as an advocate for business interests and his record in the Maine Senate, the chamber said in a prepared statement.

Summers, a Republican, is running against Democrat Chellie Pingree of North Haven for the 1st Congressional District seat, representing southern Maine.

The endorsement was announced at a press conference at Sterling Rope Co. in Biddeford, one of the stops on a tour of 30 Maine businesses that Summers is making during his campaign.

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