Below is a PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER EDITORIAL FOR YOUR INFORMATION

Philadelphia Inquirer
Editorial: U.S. Senate, New Jersey
Andrews and Zimmer

Longtime Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey was poised for an easy
Democratic primary, until Rep. Rob Andrews jumped into the race at the last
moment.

> The emergence of Andrews, 50, of Haddon Heights, has provoked accusations
of disloyalty from Lautenberg and from some of Andrews' House colleagues.
Andrews had agreed to serve as co-chair of Lautenberg's reelection, before
deciding this spring that the 84-year-old senator is vulnerable.

> Where Lautenberg sees treachery, this Editorial Board sees healthy
competition. Lautenberg doesn't own this seat. Incumbent or no, Andrews is a
highly qualified candidate.

> The beef against Andrews is that he filed for the Senate race days before
the April 7 deadline, creating a messy situation in the Democratic primary
for his House seat. His wife, Camille, stepped in as a placeholder
candidate, depending upon whom party leaders select after the primary.
Voters in the First Congressional District don't know whom they're voting
for.

> But that situation doesn't diminish Andrews' qualifications to be a
senator. So New Jersey Democrats have a difficult choice to make. Not
helping voters is the fact that Lautenberg has been dodging any debates on
network TV.

> In 24 years in the Senate, Lautenberg has been a reliably progressive vote
on issues ranging from the environment to children's health insurance.
However, Andrews has built a solid record in the House as a thoughtful
legislator, and he would bring a fresh approach to the challenges facing New
Jersey. For the Democratic nomination for Senate, The Inquirer endorses
ROBERT E. ANDREWS.

> In 20 years in the House, Andrews has proved himself to be an independent
voice for South Jersey. He has been a deficit hawk in a Congress that
allowed the national debt to increase more than 60 percent, to $9.4
trillion, under President Bush. He led the fight to stop the Army from
dumping remnants of VX nerve gas in the Delaware River.

> Lautenberg has criticized Andrews for his role in support of the Iraq war
resolution in 2002. Not only did Andrews vote to authorize military force,
he even co-wrote the measure and lobbied fellow Democrats.

> But Lautenberg also supported the vote for war in 2002. He wasn't serving
in the Senate at the time, but was campaigning again - after a brief
retirement - because incumbent Bob Torricelli had self-destructed.

> Lautenberg made clear at the time that he would have voted in favor of
authorizing the invasion of Iraq. Both Andrews and Lautenberg now favor
withdrawing U.S. forces, though Lautenberg contends he came to this
realization sooner.

> The third Democrat in the race is Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello, 62,
who gained national attention with his efforts to deputize local police to
enforce immigration laws.

> On the Republican ticket, former Rep. Dick Zimmer, 63, of Hunterdon County
is making his second bid for the Senate. After serving six years in the
House, he lost the Senate race in 1996 to Torricelli. Zimmer, now a lobbyist
who says his positions dovetail with GOP presidential candidate John McCain,
has more practical experience in Trenton and Washington than his opponents:
State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, 52, a dentist from Montville, and Murray
Sabrin, 61, a professor of finance at Ramapo College.

> The Inquirer endorses DICK ZIMMER for the Republican nomination.

> One area where Zimmer differs from McCain is the war in Iraq - Zimmer says
troops should be withdrawn "as soon as we practically can." He favors
extending the Bush tax cuts, which are due to expire in 2011.