Star-Ledger Trashes Top New Hampshire Paper’s Christie Endorsement

Republican presidential candidate Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) speaks in New York City, NY, USA, November 25, 2015 Photo by Dennis Van Tine/Sipa USA
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The Newark Star-Ledger fired back Tuesday at the New Hampshire Union Leader over its endorsement of Chris Christie for the Republican presidential nomination.

The Star-Ledger’s charge: The Union Leader newspaper “knows almost nothing about” Christie’s gubernatorial record in the Garden State.

The Union Leader announced its endorsement on Saturday with the headline “For our safety, our future: Chris Christie for President.”

The endorsement highlighted Christie’s “tells it like it is” personality and time as a federal prosecutor. It also mentioned Christie’s face-offs with public unions. But Star-Ledger editorial page editor Tom Moran noted the endorsement did not bring up the so-called “Bridgegate” scandal or, as he put it, Christie’s “dismal record” on job creation.

Union Leader publisher Joseph McQuaid explained why the endorsement didn’t mention those parts of Christie’s record during an appearance on Sunday’s “Meet The Press.” McQuaid told NBC News the paper was only seriously considering governors:

“I think after the experience of the past eight years, freshmen senators without a lot of experience aren’t good,” he said, explaining why the newspaper discounted Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Marco Rubio (R-FL).

Moran also fumbled the New Hampshire newspaper’s name. The column says the endorsement was from the “Manchester Union-Leader.”

The candidate endorsed by the Union Leader historically has seen a jump in the polls of the nation’s first primary state. In 2012, the newspaper endorsed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and in 2008, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

The Star-Ledger later published regrets about the editorial page’s endorsement of Christie’s 2013 re-election campaign.

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