endorsements

The Record's endorsement of a second term for the governor marks the first time Jon Corzine has won the support of the North Jersey newspaper.  The Record endorsed Bob Franks for U.S. Senate in 2000 and Douglas Forrester for Governor in 2005.

The Press of Atlantic City, which endorsed Corzine four years ago, today endorsed Christie.

The Asbury Park Press and the Courier-Post, which both endorsed Christie today, have never supported Corzine:  Both backed Franks and Forrester.  The Trenton Times endorsement of Corzine was the governor's third: the newspaper supported him for U.S. Senate in 2000 and for Governor in 2005.

Corzine has also been endorsed by the New York Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Republican Christopher Christie has won endorsements from the Courier-News and the Home News Tribune.

The Star-Ledger went with independent Christopher Daggett.

Still no endorsements from: the Daily Record, the Jersey Journal, the Gloucester County Times, the Express-Times, the Trentonian, the New York Daily News, and the New York Post.

Corzine's newspaper endorsement record:

Barack Obama swept the endorsements of New Jersey Daily newspapers, winning the support of the Star-Ledger, the Asbury Park Press, The Record, the Trenton Times, the Gloucester County Times, the Courier-News, the Courier-Post, the Vineland Daily Journal, the Home News Tribune, the Jersey Journal, and the Herald News.  He was also endorsed by the Philadelphia Inquirer, which covers New Jersey politics, and the New York Times, which did until recently.

A summary of daily newspaper endorsements in local races:

In a strongly worded editorial, The (Bergen) Record endorsed blind Rabbi Dennis Shulman in his bid to unseat three-term GOP U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett.

"Scott Garrett is afraid. And he wants voters to be afraid. But the only thing voters should fear is Garrett's reelection to the House of Representatives," the editorial said. "The race in the 5th District is less about who is challenging Garrett and more about what Garrett is challenging. He is challenging the basic tenets of common decency. The high-minded, fiscal conservative has resorted to the lowest form of campaigning. In a post-Sept. 11 world, Garrett is shouting 'terrorist' in a crowded room. The congressman has been running television ads, in addition to sending out a direct-mail campaign piece, that link Shulman to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Garrett wants voters to believe that Shulman, a rabbi, would sell out Israel. It is beyond the pale."

Democrat Frank Lautenberg also won The Record's endorsement in his bid for a fifth term in the U.S. Senate. This is a pickup for Lautenberg: in 2002, The Record endorsed Ted Glick, the Green Party candidate. "Six years ago, we wrote that Frank Lautenberg did not 'have his good stuff' when he reentered politics to run for a fourth term in the U.S. Senate. Six years later, a clearly energized Lautenberg has the right stuff to serve six more years."

Six years after endorsing Frank Lautenberg for the United States Senate, The Press of Atlantic City has endorsed the Republican challenger, Dick Zimmer.  

"Zimmer pledged not to make Lautenberg's age an issue in the campaign and has kept that pledge. But Lautenberg himself has made his age an issue by employing a campaign strategy clearly designed to limit face-to-face contact with his opponent and the public," the editorial said.  "Whether that's because of age or arrogance, it is an unacceptable way to campaign in the 21st century.'

Zimmer also won the backing of the Gloucester County Times and the Express-Times.

Sizing up the Ocean County Freeholders’ race, the Asbury Park Press this week endorsed long-shot Democrat Stacy Lubrecht of Brick over incumbent Freeholder Joseph Vicari, who’s served on the board since 1982.

The Board is now all-Republican and all-male in this GOP seaside stronghold. It’s a bad combination, according to the newspaper.“A Democrat hasn't been elected to the board since 1989 and the last time a woman served was in 1979,” writes the Press. “It's time to end the Republican monopoly and bring a fresh, independent voice to the crony-laden board.”

Basing his endorsement mainly on gun control issues, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed Dennis Shulman for Congress against U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage) in the 5th Congressional District.

“I’m endorsing Dennis Shulman because I’m impressed by his pragmatic, sensible approach to the tough issues, including how we strengthen the economy and how we keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals,” said Bloomberg in his opening statement to a twenty minute conference call.

But don’t expect Bloomberg to cross the river for Shulman, a blind rabbi/psychologist any time soon. Nor will Bloomberg film any commercials for Shulman like he already has for U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.). The Mayor downplayed the possibility that he would do any more to campaign for Shulman, and said he had not written him a check.

Editorial writers from newspaper across New Jersey agree that Barack Obama should be the next president.

Newspapers vary on most other endorsements, however.

Below is a list of federal endorsements made by New Jersey papers and the two major out-of-state publications that cover New Jersey.

The New York Times endorsed Frank Lautenberg for a sixth term in the U.S. Senate today, lauding him for doubling Amtrak’s annual budget and being an “effective champion of banning smoking on domestic airlines and in other public places.”

The paper, however, did chastise Lautenberg for agreeing to only one televised debate.

“New Jersey voters deserved a better race this year than the nearly invisible contest between Senator Frank Lautenberg and Richard Zimmer, his Republican challenger,” read the first line of the endorsement.

The Courier-Post has endorsed Democrat John Adler for Congress in New Jersey's third district.  Adler faces Republican Christopher Myers, the Mayor of Medford, for the seat held since 1984 by Republican James Saxton.

"We believe Adler's platform is the better of the two. Both candidates are capable of doing the job, but we believe Adler will do the job best; he gets our endorsement," the newspaper wrote.