Retain McNerney as representative

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In one of the major upsets of 2006, Jerry McNerney, who had never served in elected office, won the 11th Congressional District seat held by the powerful Richard Pombo. In the two years since, McNerney has learned a lot about Washington and a lot about the 11th District, which stretches from northern San Joaquin County to Gilroy. We've been impressed with his performance in several ways:

He initiated "congressman on the corner" meetings with constituents that take him to cafes and elsewhere. "I love the retail politics, talking to people, listening to folks. It's hard to represent people if you don't know what they're thinking," he says. McNerney says he'll keep these informal meetings up if re-elected.

He convened advisory committees on agriculture, education, health and other topics, putting him touch with experts and constituents.

He released to the public his entire list of earmarks -- not just the money he got, but all that he requested. Most of his requests were for infrastructure projects such as an Interstate 5 interchange and a project to extract arsenic from Manteca's water supply. McNerney also has supported legislation that calls for government openness.

McNerney has sided with Democrats on social issues such as raising the minimum wage and expanding health coverage for children, but has gained a good knowledge of valley issues such as agriculture and worked with Republican colleagues when appropriate.

He brings an unusual expertise to Congress, as an engineer specializing in wind power. For that reason he was chosen for the House Committee on Science and Technology and a select committee on energy independence and global warming. He's also focused on improving veteran benefits, influenced in part by his son, who joined the Air Force following Sept. 11. He has managed to negotiate the fine line dividing his support for the troops while opposing the war in Iraq.

McNerney calls himself a moderate, and we see him that way, too. In contrast, his opponent, Dean Andal, has a long record of rigid conservative views. Andal served in the Assembly in the early 1990s and spent eight years on the state Board of Equalization ending in 2002.

Residents of the 11th District have been well served by McNerney and they should send him back to Washington for a second term in the House of Representatives.