Three-term Congressman James Langevin has earned our endorsement for another term representing Rhode Island's Second Congressional District. He has worked hard to serve his constituents, while representing the Democratic values of the majority of the voters in his district well. Most of his constituents think so, too. In the last election, he captured 75 percent of the vote.

Mr. Langevin is an unusual blend of liberal economic views and socially conservative values. While we do not agree with his opposition to abortion rights, nor his siding with most Republicans on a constitutional amendment banning flag desecration, it seems his positions on both issues arise from conviction. And, clearly, many Rhode Islanders share his social conservativism. In any event, he thinks through issues, as his evolving views on stem-cell research suggest.

Representative Langevin generally believes in a big and active federal government, and he would like to see Washington do more in health-care reform, economic security and education.

One of the best ideas he would bring back to Washington is a proposal to reinstitute a modern version of the Truman Commission, which shone a light on illegal war-profiteering during World War II. Given the no-bid contracts and vanishing money in Iraq, such an idea seems long overdue.

Mr. Langevin, left paralyzed in a shooting accident when he was a teen, has earned a national reputation as an advocate for helping disabled people participate fully in the opportunities that America affords.

While an interesting, courageous and highly intelligent polemicist, his independent opponent, former state Rep. Rod Driver, a retired University of Rhode Island math professor, can be brash and divisive, and would seem a dubious choice to represent Rhode Island in Washington, where at least some horse-trading needs to be done. His sometimes dogmatic views on American foreign policy, particularly against Israel, seem out of the mainstream.

Second District citizens would serve themselves well by returning Mr. Langevin to Washington.