One of the more closely watched Senate races in the United States is the contest right here in New Hampshire between incumbent Republican John Sununu and Democratic former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen.

At stake is the chance to flip a Republican seat into the Democratic column, part of a drive by the Democrats to win a filibuster-proof majority of 60 in the Senate.

Because he stands for what's important to New Hampshire citizens and for his record of independence from his own party, we support the re-election of John Sununu to the U.S. Senate.

The financial crisis affecting the world today has its roots in the reckless subprime lending practices encouraged by Democrats in their pursuit of affordable housing for all. Sununu was ahead of most in Washington, even some members of his own party, in recognizing the danger this risky lending posed to our economy.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Sununu began as early as 2003 to champion efforts to rein in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored enterprises that control more than half of the U.S. housing market. Sununu co-authored legislation that would have set capital standards for Fannie and Freddie and restricted the sizes of their investment portfolios.

Such a measure would have done much to lessen, if not prevent, the financial collapse we are suffering today. The bill Sununu helped write was supported by all the Republicans on the committee and rejected by its Democrats, including Sens. Charles Schumer of New York and Christopher Dodd of Connecticut. It never came to a vote on the Senate floor because Republican leaders knew they could not muster enough votes to overcome Democratic attempts to block it.

It is ludicrous for Democrats, including Shaheen and her supporters, to claim that blame for this crisis rests with the Republican Party.

Again and again, Sununu has stood up for New Hampshire residents by opposing his party and the Bush administration on policies that put the Granite State at risk. He opposed the Bush administration's energy bill when it called for the continued use of the gasoline additive MTBE that has polluted so much of the state's water.

Sununu fought the Republican-led effort to renew the USA Patriot Act until the security measure included more protection for civil liberties.

Sununu advocates a sensible energy policy, one that pursues alternative energy technologies as well as encouraging exploration for more oil.

Sununu opposes increasing taxes, particularly on small business. He recognizes that higher taxes on small businesses stifle job growth.

Sununu has worked to expand protection for wilderness areas, including those in New Hampshire, and to protect citizens' right to possess firearms under the Second Amendment.

Shaheen, by contrast, offers little more than a slate of Democratic talking points. She promises a "new direction," to create jobs, to expand health care, and set a date for ending the war in Iraq. Her opposition amounts to the tired Democratic slogan that a vote for Sununu is a vote for "more of the same." She trumpets Sununu's record of voting "90 percent of the time" with President Bush. Find a politician who does not support his or her party leadership most of the time.

John Sununu is not "more of the same." He has shown that he stands up for the interests of New Hampshire citizens, even when that means bucking his own party.

We encourage New Hampshire voters to re-elect John Sununu to the U.S. Senate.