The influential New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper is endorsing New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for president.
“Gov. Chris Christie is exactly the conservative Republican needed to take the fight to Hillary Clinton next fall and then get about the serious business of defending us and rebuilding our economy,” the paper’s editorial endorsement reads.
Christie has invested a great deal of his time on the campaign trail in New Hampshire, spending over 50 days in the state and conducting over 30 town hall meetings.
“Gov. Christie is right for these dangerous times. He has prosecuted terrorists and dealt admirably with major disasters,” the editorial read. “But the one reason he may be best-suited to lead during these times is because he tells it like it is and isn’t shy about it.”
The latest poll of the state conducted by Suffolk University/Boston Globe showed Christie polling at four percent, but he has experienced some growing momentum on the campaign trail.
In August, 14 presidential candidates joined the Union Leader for a presidential forum on the issues important to voters in the state. Only billionaire presidential Donald Trump refused to participate in the event, but he has lead all of the recent polls in the state since July.
The Union Leader appeared unimpressed by the Republican outsiders in the race.
“We don’t need as President some well-meaning person from the private sector who has no public experience,” the editorial read. “Other candidates have gained public and media attention by speaking bluntly. But it’s important when you are telling it like it is to actually know what you are talking about.”
The paper also panned the freshman Republican senators in the race – alluding to Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Sen. Rand Paul.
“We don’t need another fast-talking, well-meaning freshman U.S. senator trying to run the government,” the editorial read. “We are still seeing the disastrous effects of the last such choice.”
The paper endorsed Newt Gingrich for the 2012 presidential election and John McCain in 2008.