The Boston Herald endorsed four state House candidates this week.

The Herald noted in its editorial Monday that with so few competitive races this year, it makes picking candidates easier but that "in the interest of a thriving democracy we certainly hope this is the low point."

The daily backed Republican state Sen. Scott Brown in his race against Needham Democrat Sara Orozco in the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District.

"Brown is one of a tiny band of GOP senators who endeavor to hold back the majority tide - voices that take the Democratic leadership to task on spending and, in this budget cycle, the only votes to sustain many of Gov. Deval Patrick's modest vetoes," the Herald wrote. "The Senate can't afford to lose any one of those voices of reason."

Even though her policy positions "differ dramatically from this newspaper's she brings fresh perspective and a clean record that will serve her constituents well," the Herald backed Sonia Chang-Diaz in her race against state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson in Suffolk's 2nd District. This was also before Wilkerson's arrest Tuesday.

In state House of Representative races, the Herald supported Dan Haley, the Republican in the 8th Middlesex race, against Democrat Carolyn Dykema. Haley used to be Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey's chief of staff, the Herald wrote, so he already has a strong understanding of how Beacon Hill works. Haley is seeking to replace Republican State Rep. Paul Loscocco in that race.

The Herald also endorsed Marlborough Republican Arthur Vigeant in the 4th Middlesex District race. Vigeant is running against Marlborough Democrat Danielle Gregoire for Democratic state Rep. Stephen LeDuc's seat.

Vigeant, the Herald wrote, "would bring a voice of fiscal sanity to the House."