The Newark Star-Ledger endorsed Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate today, praising him for initiating a lawsuit that overthrew county organization lines in primary elections and suggesting that his age, 41, means he could hold the seat long enough to “beef up New Jersey’s influence in Washington.”
“After his remarkable string of wins, Kim has our hearty endorsement, without reservation. And it’s not just because of that David vs. Goliath story, his win over the bosses,” the editorial board said. “It’s because after three terms in Congress, he has proved himself to be a talented player in Washington, a man with unquestioned integrity, serious foreign policy chops, and an inclination to search for common ground on issues like health care costs, where he co-sponsored the bill that capped out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors on Medicare at $2,000 a year.”
The editorial offered some praise of the other two candidates, Patricia Campos-Medina and Lawrence Hamm, but said their “hard-left positions would make them vulnerable in a general election against a Republican.”
“Kim is not just the safe bet; he is the more qualified candidate. Campos-Medina and Hamm have both made a positive mark on New Jersey, on behalf of those who need the help most,” the newspaper wrote. “But Kim is the better choice by far.”
The jury is still out on the impact of newspaper endorsements, especially relatively late ones. Over 170,000 Democrats have already voted in the primary, and the Star-Ledger’s average daily print circulation has dropped by 69% since 2015, and by 15% last year.
By this afternoon, the Star-Ledger’s endorsement of Kim was not on the NJ.com home page after the newspaper decided to promote other stories, like Dawn Magyar’s breaking news of the “21 of the best grill accessories for the grill master in your life.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer endorsed Kim last week, and Carol Murphy for Congress in the 3rd district two weeks ago.