Steve Cofchin admits that, in the past, he's voted for Ninth District Democratic Congressman Adam Smith.

But after a friend challenged him, Cofchin checked Smith's voting record in Congress.

"He was only a few points from [Seventh District Democratic Congressman Jim] McDermott, and on taxes he was to the left of McDermott," Cofchin told 34th District Republicans at their May 16 meeting in West Seattle.

This fall, Cofchin will vote for himself as the Republican candidate challenging Smith's re-election bid.

Between now and November, Cofchin promised, he will concentrate on the differences between him and Smith on jobs and economic growth, the military and veterans' affairs, homeland security and transportation, and immigration and national security.

"The whole immigration [situation] is a mess," he declared. "We need to close down the border [with Mexico], period."

Once the borders are secure, then the U.S. can work out the other details, including controlled legal entry into the country and what to do with illegal immigrants.

Cofchin said foreign workers who want to come to America for jobs should be required to register at U.S. consulates in their home countries. Then when employers needed to hire guest workers, they would do so from that list.

"Just don't open the floodgates" to another wave of illegal immigration, he cautioned.

For federal tax cuts to work, he continued, Congress has "to quite spending."

Cofchin would begin by cutting foreign aid and encouraging organizations such as World Vision to provide assistance to those in need rather than foreign governments.

Assessing his chances against an incumbent Democrat, he declared that his race is winnable.

"The Ninth District is no longer a swing district," Cofchin said. Demographic changes have made it "a Republican district....

"I'm running to win. I'm not running to be second fiddle."