Remember the earlier editorial rants against double dipping officeholders?

From north to south, the front pages have been filled with critics complaining about the legislature’s future ban on dual office holding, while editorials across the state echoed their disapproval.

Given the amount of ink dedicated to condemning the practice, the average voter probably expected to see political endorsements in support of the challengers.

Surprise, surprise – that’s has not been the case.

Take the Gloucester County Times endorsements of three out of four dual officeholders in Camden and Gloucester counties. Then there’s the Homes News’ endorsement of legislative double dippers in District 17 and 19. The Ocean County Observer was two for two in its backing of District 30 legislators also posing as local elected officials.

Give credit to The Record – no editorial memory lapses there.  In District 36 it was a slam dunk.  In their words:   “The three Democratic incumbents hold six public jobs among them and seem insufficiently concerned about the poor state of public service” (“Our choices” – Editorial, 11/4/07).

To be fair, most – but not all -- endorsements weighed the incumbents’ dual office holding status and records against their challengers’ credentials.

Maybe experience and accomplishments matter – but the editors should have taken that stance before hurling mud at Senator Ellen Karcher’s bill to prospectively ban the practice.