| So far, these newspapers have endorsed Murphy -- Albany Times Union, Glens Falls Post Star, Poughkeepsie Journal, Oneonta Daily Star, New York Times (helpful with many NYC types who vote from second homes in the district), Millbrook Independent, Columbia Paper, Lake George Mirror, and Metroland.
Gibson's endorsement list is shorter, and from papers with much less circulation in the district -- Troy Record, Saratogian, Hudson Register Star, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Glens Falls Chronicle, and, of course, the Murdoch New York Post (less helpful with NYC second-home types).
Since re-electing Murphy is a bellwether about retaining the House, you all should be interested in what major papers said in their endorsements.
The Times Union:
(NY-20 is) a district that needs a representative who understands its complex electorate and appreciates that the issues facing this nation can't be solved with some off-the-shelf approach, conservative or liberal.
Of the two candidates in this race, Rep. Scott Murphy is the clear choice.
Mr. Murphy, a businessman who was elected in 2009 to finish out Ms. Gillibrand's term after she was appointed to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's U.S. Senate seat, has demonstrated the ability to weigh issues on their merits and make difficult choices.
snip
On health care, Mr. Murphy sorted through the partisan noise and voted for legislation that will provide millions of Americans with coverage, slow rising costs and end some of the insurance industry's worst abuses. It was the right decision.
"Partisan noise," indeed.
Tea party extremists rudely harangued Murphy at many events last summer, on behalf of the health insurance industry.
And Murphy bravely stood up against the wingnuts, voting for the final HCR bill.
From the Poughkeepsie Journal:
Murphy has demonstrated he is a fighter for the district, on jobs and many other issues.
He has pushed bills that would eliminate tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas, citing IBM's downsizing in Dutchess County as a major concern. He also has led the charge for more funding to expand broadband capacities throughout the Hudson Valley, something that is truly needed in a high-tech-driven economy.
Murphy has made a solid mark in a short time, and voters should give him the support to continue his work.
Murphy has worked on specific economic development issues that have and will create good jobs in NY-20.
Unmentioned, but implied, is that Gibson has no such job-creating experience; indeed Gibson panders to his tea party base in opposing government-supported initiatives that create/preserve jobs in NY-20.
The Gibson endorsement by the Troy Record recognizes Murphy and Gibson are both "quality candidates," then essentially flips a coin:
The decision may come in the details: Murphy voted for the health care reform plan while Gibson opposes it, although he does concede aspects of the plan are good; Murphy supports the existence of the U.S. Department of Education while Gibson favors combining it with other departments to cut down on the bureaucracy, and the two disagree on how to extend the Bush tax cuts.
Unlike many other political races, this contest features two quality candidates. However, on balance, our endorsement goes to Gibson because of his proven leadership skills and because we believe his views are more in line with the voters of this district.
The clueless Record editorial board evidently believes that a tea party Republican, who dutifully opposes everything Obama and Congressional Democrats have done to cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans, outlaw health insurance industry abuses, and provide many millions in stimulus money in NY-20, is somehow better than Murphy because they have their finger to the notional CW wind and believe the latest absurd NY-20 Siena poll.
Whatever, the vast majority of the Record's ever-shrinking circulation is in NY-21.
Most NY-20 voters are not tea party extremists like Gibson; and most newspapers in or near NY-20 get that, as most NY-20 voters will on Tuesday.
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