MT-Sen, WY-AL: Endorsements

In the remote mountain-west states, with few local media outlets to clutter up the media landscape, newspapers are a bigger part of communities. And thus, their editorials carry more weight than in coastal, media-saturated environs.

In Montana, Tester swept every major newspaper endorsement.

With today's endorsements from the Helena Independent Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle (link not yet available), Big Sandy farmer Jon Tester has received support for his U.S. Senate bid from all major newspapers in Montana.

In the last week Tester received endorsements from the Great Falls Tribune, Butte's Montana Standard, and the Billings Gazette, Montana's largest newspaper.

Meanwhile, in Wyoming, the Wyoming Caspar-Tribune delivered a shocker endorsement of Democrat Gary Trauner:

Wyoming should thank Cubin for her service in Washington, but it's time for her to come home. On Tuesday, voters should give Democrat Gary Trauner an opportunity to be what Cubin no longer is: an effective representative for Wyoming [...]

Contrary to a fusillade of television attack ads, nothing about Trauner is at odds with "Wyoming values." He recognizes the importance of recreational opportunities and public access to public lands. He has, in fact, demonstrated a stronger commitment to this issue than Cubin [...]

We wish we could focus our comments solely on Cubin's job performance, but her personal behavior has become an unavoidable issue. After a recent debate in which disabled Libertarian challenger Tom Rankin questioned her campaign contributions, she suggested he deserved slapping.

It was only the latest embarrassing incident in a political career peppered with gaffes.

Then, in an interesting twist, the editorial gives unapologetic Republicans a reason to vote for Trauner:

Loyal Wyoming Republicans are understandably reluctant to abandon a GOP incumbent. But their long-term interest lies in sending a stronger Republican to Congress.

They can't achieve that goal as long as Cubin ties up the seat. Letting Trauner occupy the chair for two years may be a cheap price to create a GOP opportunity in 2008.

Clever. And true. If Trauner wins, he'd be one of the top targetted Democrats in 2008. But we'll cross that bridge after he takes out Cubin.