October 21, 2008 - 11:23am
News

Star-Ledger endorses Lance

The Star-Ledger today endorsed state Sen. Leonard Lance over Assemblywoman Linda Stender for Congress in the 7th District.

The largest newspaper in the state called Lance (R-Flemington) a “moderate Republican in the Clifford Case mold,” and lauded his environmental record and his “bone-deep distaste for debt.”

While it had kind words for Stender (D-Fanwood) as well, the paper cited Lance’s 17 years in Trenton versus Stender’s six. But it criticized the Democrat for trying to distance herself from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s claim in a mailer that Lance supported Gov. Christie Whitman’s pension bonding while not repudiating it.

Stender had criticized a Ledger columnist for equating the DCCC mailer with her own campaign.

The editorial noted that the paper endorsed Stender over incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-Warren) in 2006.

The Stender camp was unfazed by the endorsement.

"Endorsements don't vote. So the only endorsement we're seeking is the onefrom voters on Nov 4," said Stender spokeswoman Irene Lin. 

Matt Friedman is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via email at matt@politicsnj.com.

Related topics: Linda Stender, NJ-07, Leonard Lance