While it's difficult for voters to sort out the truth amid the torrent of negative TV ads and direct mail flyers.  we at the Sun are afforded the privilege of interviewing candidates one-on-one without interference from handlers or outside media.

With that privilege comes responsibility to our readers. We judge the candidates by their policies, experience, potential as effective leaders and personal qualities. Our endorsements go to candidates who we think will do the most for New Hampshire and personify the principled, hard-working people they represent.

New Hampshire is fortunate to have four experienced candidates. Sununu is a former a three-term congressman and incumbent senator. His opponent, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, is a former three-term governor. Shea-Porter is one of New Hampshire's two incumbent congressmen. And Republican Jeb Bradley is a former two-term congressman.

What strikes us is how the incumbents, Sununu and Shea-Porter appear much more willing — and unafraid — to take stands on tough issues even at the risk of their own careers. Shaheen and Bradley do not share that strength of character.

And although our editorial staff of eight is made up of a mix of mainstream liberals and conservatives, that trait came through so strongly that support for Sununu and Shea-Porter was unanimous.

It's been said Sununu is one of the smartest senators in Congress, and we believe it. He's as well-versed on issues as any politician we've interviewed and, more importantly, he doesn't mince words and rarely equivocates.

He's not flashy, some say not even personable, but there's just no getting around the fact as a first-term senator he got stuff done.

On the environment, he sponsored the New Hampshire Wilderness Act of 2006 and was one of four senators to vote against ethanol subsidies. He voted against the president's energy bill because it was a budget buster. He pushed for privacy safeguards in the Patriot Act. He also sponsored a bill that passed into law to ban taxing the Internet for the next seven years.

He's a classic moderate New Hampshire Republican who happens to be smarter and more effective than most of the other senators in the country, and he should not be thrown out because he happens to be a Republican.
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While all candidates pander and parse words, Shaheen and Bradley have gone too far.

Three weeks ago at a debate in North Conway, Shaheen said she would not support the House version of the $750 billion bailout bill. It just so happened that that night the Senate was to vote on it. After the debate, but before the Senate vote, Shaheen, at our editorial board, said if she was in the Senate she would likely vote for it. Not two hours later, she issued a press release saying she was against it, and that this paper misquoted her, despite a roomful of reporters and a tape recording of the interview.
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Regardless of party affiliation, we will not accept pandering and playing politics of that magnitude, and neither should you.

Vote Sununu...