U.S. Rep. Walter Jones is drawing flak from both his Democratic and Republican opponents for his position on the Navy's plans to study northeastern North Carolina for a proposed jet airfield — even though the congressman, like them, opposes the jet airfield in either Camden or Gates counties.

Both Joe McLaughlin, a Republican from Onslow County, and Marshall Adame, a Democrat from Jacksonville, accuse Jones of "fence-sitting" on the OLF.

"The people of Camden County should be very nervous about Congressman Jones' statements," McLaughlin, who will face Jones in the May 6 GOP primary, said in a prepared statement. "He (Jones) never made a clear commitment of opposition on the (Navy's) former preferred site in Beaufort and Washington counties until it was clear the momentum had shifted against that site."

Adame, who will face the winner of the Jones-McLaughlin primary this fall, is more direct in his criticism.

"My opponent wants to build a ridiculously expensive and almost surely ineffective fence along the Mexican border to try to address illegal immigration," Adame states in a press release. "Apparently, he's a big fence fan. He's already built one for himself to sit on so he can avoiding standing up for the district on the OLF issue."

Both McLaughlin and Adame were responding to Jones' statements about the proposed OLF during a town hall meeting in Moyock on April 12. Jones, whose 3rd Congressional District includes Camden and Currituck counties, told residents of both counties that he stands with them in their opposition to Navy plans to study the Hales Lake area in Camden for the OLF.

"I believe that Camden County should not be

seriously considered for the outlying field," Jones said.

However, Jones declined to commit now to opposing federal funding for the OLF if the Camden site is ultimately selected.

In response to a resident's question, Jones said it was too early to take that step.

"There will come a time for that discussion, absolutely, and at that time I will do what I need to do to protect the area. Let's leave it at that," Jones said.

Adame and McLaughlin said Jones' reluctance to deny funding for the OLF if Camden is chosen shows a lack of commitment to stopping the airfield.

Adame said if he is elected, voters can be sure he'll do "everything a congressman can do, from day one, to stop the OLF from coming to ... anywhere in North Carolina where the citizens don't want it."

Adame said that includes opposing federal funding for the airfield and "publicly and personally urging every other member of our state's Congressional delegation ... to actively campaign against the OLF coming to North Carolina."

Asked for specifics about what McLaughlin would do to fight the OLF proposal if elected, McLaughlin's press secretary Doug Raymond responded: "We made a statement on the OLF, and that statement stands."

In a prepared statement on Friday, Jones' Chief of Staff Glen Downs said the congressman stands by the statements he made on the OLF during the April 12 town hall in Moyock.

"We would not want to comment on statements made by individuals who are campaigning in primary nomination elections," Downs said.

The Navy is evaluating five sites – three in Virginia and the two in North Carolina — for their suitability for the OLF.

The Navy says the OLF is needed to simulate carrier takeoffs and landings at night for jet pilots in training.