NEW YORK, NY August 17, 2009 —In a major rebuff of incumbent New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, the state's Sierra Club is endorsing independent candidate Chris Daggett. It cited Daggett's integrity, and environmental record as former Department of Environmental Protection commissioner under Governor Kean. The Sierra Club was an early backer of Corzine in the 2005 governor's race, but executive director Jeff Tittle says Corzine's been a major disappointment since then.

TITTLE: I never thought that I would see somebody who as a senator had a decent environmental record, as governor just give the state over to developers and polluters and weaken environmental protections.

A spokesman for Governor Corzine says his administration has been a national leader on the environment.