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Monday, October 25, 2010

Inquirer endorses Meehan over Lentz

The Philadelphia Inquirer has endorsed Republican Pat Meehan over Democrat Bryan Lentz in the race for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District.

From the newspaper's endorsement editorial:
The heated contest for an open congressional seat in Delaware County could turn on an ethical controversy involving the Democratic nominee, who condoned helping a third-party candidate regarded as a spoiler.

Two-term Democratic state Rep. Bryan Lentz says he sees no harm in his volunteers' gathering thousands of petition signatures for a third-party challenger, Jim Schneller, who is far from being congressional material.

Lentz's dismissive explanation - "politics is politics" - for helping to get Schneller on the ballot is a jarring admission and character flaw for a former Philadelphia prosecutor.

If the matchup comes down to credibility and integrity, though, voters have an attractive alternative: Former U.S. Attorney PATRICK MEEHAN, who earns The Inquirer's endorsement.

The straitlaced Meehan, 55, was a solid district attorney in Delaware County. But it was his anticorruption probes as federal prosecutor for eight years - including nearly two dozen pay-to-play cases in Philadelphia, and developing the winning case against former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo - that serve as his most important achievement.

Meehan may be to the right of Lentz in this campaign, but he has a record as a moderate Republican. Voters should give him the chance to follow those sound instincts in Washington.
Read more endorsements at the newspaper's website.

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