The Pleasanton Weekly today endorsed Congressman Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) for re-election on Nov. 2.

McNerney is being challenged by Republican David Harmer, a San Ramon attorney.

The newspaper said its staff first met McNerney when he and his wife Mary stood at the corner of Farmers Market and Main Street seeking votes for his singular effort among Democrats to challenge Richard Pombo's re-election bid for the 11th Congressional District.

"Few stopped to shake his hand, but we did and took an immediate liking to this long-time Pleasanton homeowner-turned-citizen-activist whose son urged him to challenge Pombo when other Democrats wouldn't," the newspaper said.

McNerney lost that race but came back strong in 2006 to win the Democratic Party nomination and in November the Congressional election. He did it again in 2008 and the Pleasanton Weekly is again supporting his bid for re-election to a third term in office on Nov. 2.

"Not only has McNerney made his mark in Washington and the district he serves, especially in areas of energy, transportation, education and veterans' affairs, but he continues to be our 'Congressman on the corner,' as he likes to call his frequent Pleasanton chats on Main Street and in other Tri-Valley locations," the Weekly's editorial states.

"Whether it's serving meals to homeless veterans at the recent Stand Down at the Fairgrounds or at neighborhood homecomings when we gather to welcome back Pleasanton military men and women from Iraq and Afghanistan, McNerney is there with a Congressional citation in hand," the editorial continues. "He comes back from Washington almost every weekend to his home in Val Vista where he and his wife Mary have raised their children and are often seen at hometown events such as First Wednesday street fairs.

The Pleasanton Weekly's editorial adds: "His Republican challenger in this year's election is David Harmer, a San Ramon attorney who has represented the Pacific Legal Foundation and is campaigning as a lifelong Ronald Reagan Republican. Except for a pre-primary reception at Barone's Restaurant and an invitation-only speech at Castlewood Country Club, where he unknowingly crossed a union picket line, we've seen little of Harmer in Pleasanton. We appreciate McNerney's efforts to work for the constituents in his hometown and the 11th Congressional District that he represents and urge voters to cast their ballots for his re-election on Nov. 2."