Newspapers across the country threw their support behind Democratic Senate candidates for their strong records of delivering results and leading on the issues that matter most to the people of their states — especially protecting affordable health care and pre-existing conditions coverage. Here’s the round-up:
AZ: ARIZONA DAILY STAR: “Kyrsten Sinema’s Arizona is more pragmatic than ideological, unafraid to change, concerned about health-care affordability and access, values veterans, supports local law enforcement assisting federal immigration authorities and is inclined to work together rather than draw battle lines.”
AZ: ARIZONA REPUBLIC: “No better example of politics by collaboration than Sinema.”
FL: MIAMI HERALD: “Re-elect Bill Nelson to the Senate. He puts Florida’s interests first… Scott has been an election-year Johnny Come Lately to many issues of the utmost importance to the state.”
FL: ORLANDO SENTINEL: “He’s a decent person who has served Florida and his country well, both in the military and in politics. Bill Nelson has earned another term in the U.S. Senate.”
FL: PALM BEACH POST: “We need a senator who will work for Floridians — all Floridians. That’s Bill Nelson.”
FL: TAMPA BAY TIMES: “U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson has built a commendable career in public service as a moderate who steadily works in a bipartisan fashion on issues important to Floridians… Gov. Rick Scott, who has consistently sided with the wealthy and the well-connected as he has eroded the interests of working families. Nelson has served Floridians well and deserves a fourth term.”
FL: SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL: “Nelson has been a workhorse, not a show horse. … It’s not just the people of Florida who need Bill Nelson back in the Senate. It’s all of the people of the United States of America.”
FL: THE INDEPENDENT FLORIDA ALLIGATOR. “Nelson has consistently defended Florida’s environment.”
FL: LA GACETA. The nation’s only trilingual newspaper, Tampa’s La Gaceta endorsed Nelson and slammed Scott for being “a bad governor.”
IN: THE HERALD BULLETIN: “Donnelly has served Hoosiers well during his three terms in the House and his first stretch in the Senate. Braun would be a blind Trump follower. Donnelly, we trust, would not.”
IN: INDIANAPOLIS STAR: “In a time of growing extremism and anger in American politics, Donnelly provides balance and a reasoned voice.”
IN: NORTHWEST INDIANA TIMES: “Donnelly knows who we are. He knows how to build bridges in these divided times. He’s our clear choice to serve.”
IN: SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE: “Joe Donnelly doesn’t just talk the talk. He backs it up. The Democrat running for re-election to the U.S. Senate is still the type of politician this country needs in Washington… When it comes to health care — which has emerged as a top issue, if not the No. 1 issue, this election year — we believe Donnelly has taken the right stand.”
IN: TERRE HAUTE TRIBUNE STAR: “Donnelly has fulfilled his promise to Hoosiers…He supported the Affordable Care Act…and has defended it against the constant assault from Republicans wanting to destroy it in any way they can despite its growing acceptance, even popularity, with voters.”
IN: THE JOURNAL GAZETTE: “America needs more senators like Joe Donnelly. Indiana needs to re-elect him.”
MI: DETROIT FREE PRESS: “Stabenow is both principled and empathetic, and the welfare of Michigan families is the lens through which she views each decision.”
MI: JEWISH NEWS: Stabenow has a “proven record in championing policies to benefit manufacturing, agriculture and health care as well as her commitment to protecting the Great Lakes and her support for Israel.”
MI: LANSING STATE JOURNAL: “The LSJ Editorial Board believes she deserves to keep her job. She’s good for Michigan, and she’s good for Lansing.”
MI: MICHIGAN DAILY: “Stabenow…[has] been taking care of Michiganders and Americans for the past few years, providing health care, jobs and a stable economy to all their constituents.”
MN: MESABI DAILY NEWS: “Smith worked closely with Klobuchar and others on the bipartisan opioid bills signed into law. She’s also championed rural broadband initiatives critical to growing areas like the Iron Range…Smith deserves more time to show Minnesotans what she can do before 2020.”
MN: MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE: “Smith has demonstrated her depth of knowledge and dedication to issues important to Minnesotans.”
MN: THE POST REVIEW: “Smith’s depth of knowledge of the issues and her breadth of experience in government, business, healthcare and advocacy that places her above her opponent.”
MN: WINONA DAILY NEWS: “Smith’s no-nonsense, bi-partisan mindset that made her great behind the scenes in St. Paul is translating quite well to Capitol Hill.”
MO: COLUMBIA TRIBUNE: “McCaskill also has done much for everyday Missourians…We hope the Show-Me State sees through the smoke and mirrors and selects the candidate who has shown, time and again, they are more than a partisan puppet. That candidate is Claire McCaskill.”
MO: HERALD WHIG: “McCaskill has made health care one of her central campaign issues. She disagrees with Hawley’s decision to join 19 other state attorney generals in a lawsuit that seeks to overturn the Affordable Care Act, including popular insurance protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions… Missouri needs a strong, experienced, independent voice in the U.S. Senate, which we believe Claire McCaskill will continue to provide.”
MO: KANSAS CITY STAR. “McCaskill has earned another term — and The Star’s endorsement. Hawley has proved to be a disappointment in ways that are that go beyond even the ‘politics as usual’ he used to rail against.”
MO: ST. LOUIS AMERICAN: “As strongly as we have ever urged our readers to cast any votes – to make their voices heard, to protect and advance the policies that are critical to our community and its well-being – we strongly endorse Claire McCaskill for U.S. Senate.”
MO: ST LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: “Incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill has a long record of service in elective office. Her bipartisan voting record reflects the moderate political tendencies of Missouri voters. She is tough.”
MO: THE JOPLIN GLOBE: “If you are voting for a candidate who can do best by the entire state, then we recommend voting for McCaskill.”
MT: BILLINGS GAZETTE: “A champion for U.S. veterans, agriculture producers, affordable health care, accessible public lands and the First Amendment, Jon Tester will continue to serve Montana well if voters re-elect him on Nov. 6… Tester has delivered for Montana.”
MT: BOZEMAN DAILY CHRONICLE: The Bozeman Daily Chronicle endorsed Jon Tester for his “demonstrated record of statesmanship – reaching out to the other party and looking for the middle ground on issues important to Montanans.”
MT: HELENA INDEPENDENT RECORD: “Tester votes his conscience even when it hurts. That’s the kind of leadership we need to overcome destructive partisanship in politics, and we hope to see more of it in Washington.”
MT: MISSOULIAN: “Tester is the kind of senator who has shown, repeatedly, that he puts Montana first, and that he represents all Montanans, not just Democrats and not just campaign supporters. His loyalty to this state comes before any particular politician or political party.”
MT: MONTANA STANDARD: “There are many reasons, we believe, to vote for Jon Tester in his bid for a third term in the U.S. Senate. Montana’s interests are best served by the man who has proven his commitment to them.”
NV: LAS VEGAS SUN: “Nevada deserves a senator like Rosen who has a firm grip on Nevada’s issues, believes strongly in working with others and who possesses an impeccable character and values. ”
NV: LAS VEGAS WEEKLY: “At a time when insults, slurs and lies have hijacked civil discourse and party battles have mired Congress in dysfunction, Rosen is a throwback leader who has worked across the aisle to an exceptional degree while others have dug in to serve their party over the interests of the people they represent.”
NV: NEWS REVIEW. “He casts votes that are appalling. And as often as not, he dithers while migrating to those stances. Indecisive, meandering, ambivalent. How exactly are voters supposed to know what Heller will do with another term, when he provides such uncertain guidance, and when one bit of that guidance is to go from opposing Donald Trump in 2016 to supporting him in 2017?”
ND: BISMARCK TRIBUNE: “No credible argument can be made that standing with the president on health care is good for North Dakota… Heitkamp’s a tireless worker and for the last six years she’s toiled in the Senate trenches building coalitions and getting legislation passed…Her list of accomplishments over the last six years is impressive.”
ND: HIGH PLAINS READER: “Heitkamp stands firm for health care for all people. Cramer has voted so many times to repeal the Affordable Care Act you can hardly count them. North Dakota has tens of thousands of people at risk of losing health insurance if the ACA is repealed instead of improved.”
OH: AKRON BEACON JOURNAL/OHIO.COM: “Sherrod Brown understands what makes for an effective U.S. senator… That understanding helps explain how he steadily has gotten better at his job the past dozen years and why he makes such a strong argument for a third term.”
OH: ATHENS NEWS: “Brown is a hardworking man of integrity who has shown time and again that the everyday citizens of Ohio are his top priority.”
OH: CANTON REPOSITORY: “Brown fights for Ohioans. There is no question his heart remains fully in the fight. We endorse Sherrod Brown for a third term to U.S. Senate.”
OH: CLEVELAND.COM: “Sherrod Brown has served Ohio well in his two terms in the Senate. Its voters should return him to Washington for a third.”
OH: COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Brown has “focus and work ethic that has enabled him to build credibility and support in Congress that has served the state well.”
OH: CRAIN’S CLEVELAND BUSINESS: “Brown’s work in the Senate has been exemplary. He is the clear choice to advance the interests of Ohio.”
OH: THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM: “Brown has shown himself to be a strong advocate for Ohioans, pushing for greater access to health care, opposing the Republican tax cuts and fighting to defend the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative from the Trump administration’s proposed funding cuts, an example of his ability to work across the aisle.”
OH: TOLEDO BLADE: “Sherrod Brown stands for the forgotten worker and for saving and creating American manufacturing jobs, and he has consistently stood for them over many years. He walks the walk.”
OH: YOUNGSTOWN VINDICATOR: “Brown has earned a national reputation as the champion of the middle class and the working poor.”
PA: BUCKS COUNTY COURIER TIMES: “Casey is a moderate Democrat and part of the No Labels caucus. Barletta is a doctrinaire conservative Republican and not part of the No Labels caucus.”
PA: THE DAILY ITEM: “Casey’s presence on the Democratic side of the Senate floor provides important checks and balances — governmental tenets rooted in the U.S. Constitution…we endorse the re-election of Bob Casey in his race against Barletta.”
PA: ERIE TIMES-NEWS: “We renew that support…and also endorse his candidacy for another quality we find vital at this extraordinary political moment. That is, Casey’s defense of core American values, especially the United States as a nation of immigrants and the rule of law.”
PA: THE INTELLIGENCER: “Casey, as a relative moderate, has been a good advocate for Pennsylvania and is the best choice in this race.”
PA: READING EAGLE.
PA: THE SCRANTON TIMES TRIBUNE: “Amid the maelstrom of polarized politics and volatile discourse that has come to characterize the Congress, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. has managed to maintain a focus on the core issues that matter most to most Pennsylvanians.”
PA: TRIBUNE DEMOCRAT: “Ultimately, we believe Casey’s seniority in Washington and his experience working with the people of the Johnstown region make him the better candidate.”
PA: PENNLIVE: “He is the state’s best chance to ensure that the voices of the overlooked, immigrants and children are heard and that the interests of working Pennsylvanians remain a top priority.”
PA: THE PHILLY INQUIRER: “In his time in the Senate, he has taken on causes…such as allowing states to offer people with disabilities tax-exempt savings accounts, investing in repairs of bridges off the federal highway system, and requiring transparency and accountability in the investigation of sexual assault cases on campuses.”
PA: THE PHILADELPHIA TRIBUNE: “Pennsylvanians need to re-elect Robert Casey to protect hard-earned gains in Congress including protecting the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare…Casey will also fight to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, which Senate Republicans are targeting for cuts.”
PA: PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE: “Mr. Casey is the right choice and should be returned to the Senate….it is senators like Mr. Casey who keep the Senate going by creating a trans-partisan undercurrent.”
PA: YORK DAILY RECORD: “In these highly polarized times, with so much inflammatory rhetoric flung about, that’s not such a bad thing. We need some thoughtful, sober leaders at the table – some adult supervision as a counterbalance to President Trump.”
PA: UNIONVILLE TIMES: “Casey has been a voice on a broad range of middle of the road, common sense policies, a rarity in today’s polarized political environment. We think his increasingly vocal stances will show him to be an even better advocate for the commonwealth and its people over the next six years.”
TN: JOHNSON CITY PRESS: “Bredesen is a known quantity and his record shows that he is committed to people across the state, regardless of party affiliation.”
TN: KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL: “Phil Bredesen’s fair-mindedness, independence and civility are even more valuable, and they make him the right choice to don Tennessee’s historic mantle of statesmanship in the U.S. Senate.”
TN: MEMPHIS COMMERCIAL APPEAL: Bredesen is one of the “pragmatic, civil and bipartisan voices of moderation who can work together to do the business of the American people.”
TN: TENNESSEE TRIBUNE: “Phil Bredesen’s desire for bipartisan government and reasonable approaches to daily governance are a broad contrast to the ridiculous rhetoric and childish behavior demonstrated on a daily basis in the White House.”
TX: DALLAS MORNING NEWS. He has a “demeanor that offers respect for each person and a humbleness that will allow him to open the door to working with those who hold political views different from his.”
TX: FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM: “…only O’Rourke seems interested in making deals or finding middle ground. That is why the El Paso Democrat would make the best senator for Tarrant County’s future, and the future of Texas.”
TX: HOUSTON CHRONICLE: “The West Texas congressman’s command of issues that matter to this state, his unaffected eloquence and his eagerness to reach out to all Texans make him one of the most impressive candidates this editorial board has encountered in many years.”
VA: DAILY PRESS: “Sen. Kaine has the experience, acumen and temperament to represent Virginia as one of the commonwealth’s two senators, and he should be re-elected on Nov. 6.”
VA: RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH: “The senator is a natural-born legislator who seems to revel in the essential details of public policy creation. He is conversant in the art of the pretty good deal…We are happy to endorse his re-election. He has earned the trust of his constituents.”
VA: THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT: “…Kaine advances policies promoting diversity and inclusion, rather than pushing the politics of division and bringing more anger into the public square. And he helped lead the effort to thwart repeal of the Affordable Care Act, the mechanism by which some 400,000 Virginians will soon have access to coverage through Medicaid expansion.”
VA: VIRGINIA BUSINESS: “Tim Kaine has a long record of successful leadership. He has the right demeanor. A vote for Kaine is good for business and good for Virginia.”
VA: THE WASHINGTON POST: “Mr. Kaine, the incumbent seeking a second term, has run a campaign in keeping with the reputation he gained previously as a city council member, mayor, lieutenant governor and governor: upbeat, studious, decent, intellectually nimble and issue-oriented to the point of wonkiness.”
WV: CHARLESTON GAZETTE-MAIL: “Joe Manchin is not shy of people or tough decisions. He loves West Virginia. It shows, and the people would be well represented if they return him to the U.S. Senate.”
WV: THE (CLARKSBURG) EXPONENT TELEGRAM: “He has demonstrated in his years of public service the ability to bring differing sides to the table and to broker solutions to trying situations. ”
WV: THE (HUNTINGTON) HERALD-DISPATCH: “Clearly, a majority of the state’s voters have felt that Manchin looks out for their interests. He continues to do that today…If you’re looking for the candidate who will best serve West Virginians, Manchin is the clear choice.”
WV: THE INTELLIGENCER AND WHEELING NEWS-REGISTER: “Manchin’s record has been of serving his constituents.”
WV: THE (MARTINSBURG) JOURNAL: “Evidence of Manchin’s dedication to serving the Eastern Panhandle is provided regularly.”
WV: PARKERSBURG NEWS AND SENTINEL: “On what matters, Manchin represents his fellow Mountain State residents — regardless of what anyone, Democrat or Republican, in Washington demands.”
WV: THE REGISTER-HERALD: “His seniority and ability to build coalitions among moderates – those who remain in both parties, anyway – are assets at a time when the nation is in desperate need of collaboration and compromise in the legislative process…His interests, most often, are ours…We have been especially impressed with his fierce defense of pre-existing conditions…”
WV: THE WEIRTON DAILY TIMES: “Manchin’s seniority and ability to build coalitions among moderate Democrats and Republicans are the kind of leadership we need in the Senate. Manchin represents his fellow Mountain State residents — regardless of what anyone, Democrat or Republican, in Washington demands.”
WV: WILLIAMSON DAILY NEWS: “The answer, in our opinion, is Manchin.”
WI: THE BADGER HERALD: “This board believes we can depend on that from Baldwin because her record in office and on the campaign trail has shown her to embody those values. Vukmir, to her credit, has been honest on one thing, and one thing only — she’s just not that kind of politician.”
WI: THE CAP TIMES: “Baldwin is a principled progressive who proudly holds the seat once occupied by Sens. Robert M. La Follette and Bill Proxmire — Wisconsinites who put their values ahead of party labels. That distinguished them from the petty partisans of the eras in which they served. And Baldwin serves in that tradition.”
WI: LA CROSSE TRIBUNE: “…we’ve noticed something about Tammy Baldwin during her frequent visits to our region. She listens. She tours health care facilities and farms and other businesses — often without fanfare — and we’ve seen her listen and respond to constituents.”
WI: SHEPHERD EXPRESS: “Baldwin is willing to listen to anyone and to work across the aisle when it helps Wisconsinites, and she’ll always side with Wisconsin, even if it means taking on some of the most powerful special interests.”
WI: WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL: “Baldwin is a model of civility. That’s something we’ve always respected during her long career in public service…Baldwin’s fine example of debating public policy with passion yet respect is needed more than ever.”
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