Only 1 major US newspaper has endorsed Trump for reelection
Oct 23, 2020, 12:51 PM
Only a single major American newspaper has endorsed President Donald Trump for reelection, far below the dozens of publications that have announced their support for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
The major outlet in favor of Trump is the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
"For all his flaws, Donald J. Trump stands in forceful contrast to the relentless progressive attacks on this nation that deny and minimize the advances we have made over the decades to better reflect and honor our founding ideals," the Las Vegas Review-Journal's editorial board wrote. "He deserves a second term."
The Las Vegas Review-Journal — owned by billionaire Sheldon Adelson, a GOP mega-donor and casino magnate who has poured millions into Trump's reelection effort — had also endorsed Trump back in 2016.
The University of California Santa Barbara tracks major newspaper endorsements, which it defines as the largest 100 newspapers by circulation. The UCSB's American Presidency Project also cited an editorial by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette as a Trump endorsement, but its publisher told Insider that the paper declined to explicitly endorse either candidate.
Nonetheless, the editorial raised many questions about Biden and offered reasons to support Trump. It concludes: "If Biden wins and the Democrats take the Senate and end the filibuster rule--and along with a Democratic House pass much of the radical far left agenda--will Biden really veto it? We doubt it. A vote for Trump instead of Biden might be the best check on that becoming a reality in America."
Trump's lack of major newspaper endorsements is in line with his 2016 campaign, which was an unprecedented low for a major party nominee. An overwhelming chunk of newspapers went to his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.
By this stage in the election cycle, most voters have already made up their mind on who they'll tick at the ballot box. Whether newspaper endorsements impact electoral outcomes remains up for debate, but they've typically been made to help nudge those who are still undecided toward a candidate. Historically, newspapers tended to favor Republican nominees, though in recent decades the numbers have balanced out.
Though most editorial boards have already stood by Biden, who's gained at least 39 major endorsements thus far. His support comes from a slew of major city newspapers as well as national outlets including USA Today, Washington Post and New York Times.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the Arkansas Democrat Gazette endorsed Trump. Its editorial cited many reasons to support Trump and oppose Biden, but it did not endorse the president
Above is from: https://www.businessinsider.com/only-2-major-us-newspapers-have-endorsed-trump-for-reelection-2020-10
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