Earmarks is not the dirty word his opponent is trying to make it out to be. That word Tuesday from Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Sam Granato. Granato has the endorsement of Logan Mayor Randy Watts, mainly because Granato has pledged to continue helping cities get federal funding the way Republican Senator Bob Bennett has done.On KVNU’s Crosstalk show Tuesday, Granato called Republican Candidate Mike Lee “extreme” and said Lee wants to end such funding.”We know what earmarks have done here in Logan, for your Utah State, for projects around the city,” Granato said. “It needs to happen. We need the earmarks. They’re not dirty and we can’t exist without them. “The state certainly can’t fund them. The state has a hard enough time doing what they do. My opponent would have Social Security ripped right out and have the state run that, and raise the retirement age to 75.”Granato also called Lee extreme on immigration. Granato says that Lee wants illegal immigrants to be caught and sent back home. Granato says that would tear up families.Granato says America does have problems with immigration. He says one problem is people come here and when their visas expire they are afraid to go home.”We have a lot of employers that are hiring people illegally,” he continued. “We need to streamline, change the process. Secure the border, put up a large fence, have a swinging gate with a migrant worker program. “But if you think the people working in Deer Valley changing sheets, in Vernal that are drilling for oil, pouring asphalt in St. George at 110 degrees are legal, think again. But we need to make them all legal.” Granato says the federal government could be doing a lot more, especially tightening the borders.Granato says people of different political affiliations need to work together and he says that is happening in his campaign. His campaign co-chairmen are Frank Layden, a Democrat, and Mac Christensen, a Republican. A local Republicans for Granato group has recently been organized and Senator Bob Bennett’s son, Jim Bennett, is playing a major role in Granato’s campaign.