Newspaper Endorsements in the 2012 General Election

In the closing month of the campaign, many newspapers make endorsements.  Endorsements are often run in the Sunday paper to reach the largest audience.  Some papers only endorse in state and local races where they are able to have direct interactions with the candidates and issues, or only ballot measures and not candidates, and this is a growing trend.  It is doubtful that many or any voters will be persuaded to vote for a presidential candidate by a newspaper endorsement.  However, the cumulative effect of a lot of endorsements can convey a sense of support and momentum, and the campaigns certainly are not shy about trumpeting their endorsements (the Romney campaign seemed to be doing a better job of this than the Obama campaign).  From an academic point of view, examining the reasoning used in various papers' endorsements can offer clear insights into the candidates' strengths and weaknesses.  Below is a sampling of newspaper endorsements; more lists can be found at Scorecard +, Daily Kos + the Star Tribune + and The American Presidency Project +.

See also Endorsements from 2000  |  2004  |  2008.