Staff writer

PRINCETON-Local manufacturing employees and company executives got a visit Monday from their representative to Congress.

U.S. Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Evansville, kicked off a series of tours scheduled at local businesses in Indiana's 8th District, with visits to two Gibson County plants.

The first-term congressman took tours of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana and Hurst Manufacturing.

At TMMI, Ellsworth took company executives for a test drive in a new Toyota Tundra.

Although he already owns an earlier model Tundra, Ellsworth joked that his wife had made him promise not to run off and purchase a brand-new version.

&#8220Mine certainly doesn't have all these bells and whistles this one has," Ellsworth said after driving the truck. &#8220It couldn't ride any smoother."

Ellsworth said he believes it's important to know the needs of employees and executives of businesses in his district and visiting them gives him first-hand insight into their operations.

&#8220It's my job to find out what makes these places tick and use that knowledge when I'm making decisions in D.C.," he said.

Ellsworth is scheduled to tour a variety of businesses in Southwest Indiana this week. He said being a U.S. representative means having to become familiar with several kinds of industries.

&#8220It seems like you learn something new every 15 minutes," Ellsworth said of his busy schedule.

When asked about the announcement last week by former Republican congressional aide Greg Goode, that he will challenge Ellsworth in the 2008 elections, the congressman said he was not thinking about the race yet.

&#8220We're really busy doing the best we can for the folks at home and listening to their concerns," Ellsworth said. &#8220We haven't been thinking about the political part of it."