The Duluth News Tribune endorsed incumbent Republican Congressman Chip Cravaack today, calling him "passionate, strong, effective."
The paper had endorsed Cravaack two years ago when the conventional wisdom was that he'd be shellacked by incumbent Congressman Jim Oberstar. The wisdom was wrong, and Cravaack prevailed.
This year's newspaper endorsement comes just as a poll from the Star Tribune found Democratic challenger Rick Nolan ahead by 7 points, although even Nolan's staff seems to question the margin and MinnPost's David Brauer says there may be some red flags in the polling methodology.
Says the Duluth editorial endorsing Cravaack:
Cut through it, though, and the thing that becomes clear for voters in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District is that the passionate, strong and effective leader they elected two years ago is the same congressman they can re-elect on Nov. 6. Cravaack went to Washington to stand up to wasteful government spending while standing with his constituents back home. He has done exactly that. And done it well.
Cravaack told the paper's editorial board: "Let’s keep moving forward, not backwards."
The board agreed and said:
Let’s do that by re-electing Cravaack, who is standing up to wasteful government spending while consistently standing with his constituents back home.
The Mesabi Daily News in Virginia also endorsed Cravaack over the weekend, saying:
Two years ago we endorsed then Rep. Jim Oberstar for re-election to a 19th term. We are glad we were wrong.
Today we are proud to give our endorsement in the 8th District congressional race to Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack over Democratic Party challenger Rick Nolan.