| Written by Press Editorial Board | |
| Tuesday, 21 October 2008 | |
| Jerry McNerney has only been in office for two years representing the 11th congressional district. Because he listens to his constituents, we think he should go back to Washington. |
In 2006, seven-term Republican lawmaker Richard Pombo of Tracy plunged to stunning defeat, and a little-known mathematician named Jerry McNerney went to Washington as our district’s congressman. Some people, including Pombo, said the Pleasanton Democrat wouldn’t last longer than two years in Congress. We think this election will prove them wrong.
He’s a moderate, especially compared to his challenger, Dean Andal of Stockton, and he’s independent enough to stick his neck out to support bipartisan efforts, such as the $700 billion Wall Street bailout — something that would have been easy to vote against given his tight congressional race.
He posts his entire list of earmarks on his Web site and doesn’t apologize for trying to bring as much money back to our district as possible. After all, Californians send plenty more to Washington in federal taxes than the state receives in federal expenditures.
He listens to his constituents and has been highly visible in the district, returning home all but three weekends since he took office and hosting 45 Congress at Your Corner events.
He refused to vote for President Bush’s open-ended Iraq war policy. During the Tracy Press’ Oct. 11 candidates forum, Andal had the audacity to call him “immoral” for voting not to fund the troops in Iraq. There’s nothing immoral about supporting a timed withdrawal from Iraq, disagreeing with the president and advocating for veterans benefits, as McNerney has.
Andal, a consultant for Mountain House developer Gerry Kamilos, was a California assemblyman from 1991-95 whose extreme conservatism makes us wonder if he can effectively work with 434 colleagues spanning the political spectrum.
In his zeal to lower taxes and fight spending — a desire we applaud if applied with a dose of common sense — Andal voted against raising fuel-efficiency standards and cast votes against the protection of clean water.
The League of Conservation Voters named him one of its Dirty Dozen for his “abysmal record on energy and the environment.”
He also developed a reputation for voting against women’s rights, and recently, state Sen. Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro, and Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi, D-Hayward, signed a letter that charged, “Someone with a record like Andal’s can be counted on to turn back the clock on all we have achieved.”
McNerney has learned a lot about the valley during the past two years and has worked on issues involving energy, heath care, veterans affairs and education. He serves on the House Committee on Science and Technology and a select committee on energy independence and global warming. And he has pledged his support for a solar farm in Tracy.
Voters in the 11th congressional district — from Lodi to Tracy to Morgan Hill — should send him back for a second term.
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