NYT, Princeton Packet Endorse Stender

by: Juan Melli

Sat Oct 21, 2006 at 12:05:58 PM EDT

In the neighboring 7th Congressional District, which includes Montgomery and Rocky Hill, incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Ferguson continues to impress us with his sincerity, his principled stand on issues and his willingness, on occasion, to buck his party's leadership on matters ranging from gun control to the minimum wage.
  But on balance, Rep. Ferguson's principles tend to guide him toward policy positions that are out of step with those of his constituents. An implacable foe of abortion and embryonic stem-cell research, and a slavish defender of the Bush administration's rose-colored assessment of the war in Iraq, the three-term congressman is, in our view, out of the mainstream, even in the Republican-leaning 7th District.
  His opponent, Assemblywoman Linda Stender, a former mayor of Fanwood and Union County freeholder, rejects Rep. Ferguson's assertion that the U.S. forces are "making progress" in Iraq. She sensibly calls for diplomatic efforts to rebuild America's standing around the world, and to redouble our nation's efforts to achieve energy independence. She vows to fight against the GOP's assault on programs that provide assistance to the poor and the middle class, and to roll back tax cuts that have benefited only the wealthy.
  Assemblywoman Stender characterizes this race as "stay the course vs. change direction." We agree. We encourage voters who believe, as we do, that a change of direction in needed in Washington to elect Linda Stender to Congress.

New York Times endorsement isn't online yet.