Debt commission leaders endorse Doherty, sort of

Associated Press

MICHELLE R. SMITH, Associated Press

Updated: Oct 16, 2012 5:15 PM

Rhode Island Republican congressional candidate Brendan Doherty is touting the support of the two bipartisan leaders of President Barack Obama's debt commission.

But the Republican member of the pair says it's not an official endorsement, while the Democrat says he was told Doherty fully supported their plan, which he hasn't in the past.

Doherty on Tuesday released a message of support from former GOP Sen. Alan Simpson and former White House chief of staff Erskine Bowles, a Democrat.

Doherty, running against Democratic Rep. David Cicilline (sis-ihl-EE'-nee), has spoken frequently of his support for parts of the Simpson-Bowles deficit-cutting plan, which would lower tax rates and close loopholes, alongside less popular steps like lowering the mortgage interest deduction.

Doherty has said he supports pieces of Simpson-Bowles, but not the whole thing.

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