(CNN) The publisher of the New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper took direct aim at GOP presidential candidate Marco Rubio on Friday, accusing him of discounting the Granite State primary voters.

"Young Rubio must think New Hampshire a bunch of rubes," the editorial said.

The conservative-leaning paper endorsed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in the GOP primary race.

Joseph McQuaid, the publisher of the state's largest paper, criticized Rubio as "the national pack media's Flavor of the Week."

He slammed the "fawning stories of how the Republican 'establishment' seeks to coalesce behind him" and downplayed Rubio's recent polling surge.

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