TUPELO - Alan Nunnelee's congressional campaign received an endorsement Thursday from the 1,100-member Mississippi Associated Builders and Contractors.

In a Tupelo event, MABC Chairman Robert Pooley of Madison said Republican Nunnelee of Tupelo will take to Washington "the Mississippi values we share, not the San Francisco values of Nancy Pelosi."

Pelosi of California is the Democratic speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

"I appreciate your endorsement and support," Nunnelee said to Pooley and other MABC members at Goodlett Manor in downtown Tupelo. "This is an important election ... about the future of our nation and what kind of nation it will be for our children and our grandchildren."

Buddy Edens, president and CEO of MABC, introduced Pooley and, in an earlier news release, cited Nunnelee's support for the free enterprise system and opposition to union control of businesses as reasons for MABC's support.

Pooley praised the Tupelo businessman and state senator for his fiscal conservatism and pro-business stances, especially for tort reform.

Nunnelee and seven others seek to unseat incumbent Democratic Rep. Travis Childers of Booneville in the Nov. 2 general election.

Childers has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, National Right to Life and received special recognition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

At Thursday's news conference, Nunnelee criticized Childers for accepting campaign contributions from dozens of unions.

Brad Morris, a Childers' campaign aide, called Nunnelee's remark hypocritical.

"Travis Childers has been independent of both parties and special interests in Washington, while Nunnelee has shown that he will fold like a house of cards to political pressure."