N.C. newspaper pulls candidate endorsement

• Tweet

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 4 (UPI) -- The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer has pulled its endorsement of a congressional candidate aligned with those who question President Obama's place of birth.

"What a run for Republican Jim Pendergraph," the Observer said in an editorial Thursday. "After winning the Observer's endorsement in his bid for Congress, he has done nothing but embarrass us and himself."

"As a result, we have lost faith in him, and urge voters to consider Edwin Peacock or Ric Killian in the 9th Congressional District race," the newspaper said.

Pendergraph "came off as a decided moderate in our endorsement process," the newspaper said. Then two things happened that forced the publication to withdraw its backing of the 9th Congressional District candidate.

First, he allied in Huntersville with Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whom the Observer characterized as a "Melvillian character on a never-ending crusade against Latinos."

Then Pendergraph joined with "fringe 'birthers' to question President Obama's citizenship."

The editorial said the newspaper has endorsed candidates with whom it doesn't agree on most or all issues, but Pendergraph's actions indicate he "will say whatever a given audience wants to hear, if it will help him get elected. That makes how he would act in Congress a mystery."