2016 General Election Editorial Endorsements by Major Newspapers

 

Click on Link to Read Each Editorial   -   Changed Party Endorsements Indicated in Bold Italics

Significant deviations from a paper's party or ideological history are listed in the footnotes
Last Updated on November 8 @ 06:05 GMT (Final Update) 

Scorecard

Hillary Clinton
Democratic
Donald Trump
Republican
Gary Johnson
Libertarian
"NOT
TRUMP"

NONE
OF
THE
ABOVE

DID
NOT
ENDORSE
Total Endorsements 57 2 4 3 5 26
Total Circulation 13,095,067 315,666 738,750 3,243,140 440,976 6,102,180
 
Endorsed Obama in 2012 40 0 1 0 0 3
Endorsed Romney in 2012 14 2 3 1 4 7
Endorsed Johnson in 2012 0 0 0 0 1 0
Did not endorse in 2012 2 0 0 2 0 15
SPLIT in 2012 1 0 0 0 0 0
view 2020 editorial endorsements page
view 2012 editorial endorsements page
view 2008 editorial endorsements page
Newspaper Circulation Endorsee Published 2012 Endorsee
USA Today (6) 2,876,586 NOT Trump September 30 did not endorse
The Wall Street Journal 2,273,767 Does not endorse candidates (19)
The New York Times (5) 1,897,890 Clinton September 24 Obama
Los Angeles Times 671,797 Clinton September 23 Obama
New York Post 576,711 Did not endorse (22) Romney
San Jose Mercury News 546,282 Clinton October 21 Obama
Daily News (New York, NY) 467,110 Clinton July 28 Romney
Chicago Tribune (9) 453,567 Johnson September 30 Obama
Newsday (Long Island, NY) 437,457 Clinton October 21 Romney
The Washington Post 431,521 Clinton October 13 Obama
Chicago Sun-Times 419,364 Clinton September 30 did not endorse
The Dallas Morning News (3) 411,929 Clinton September 7 Romney
The Denver Post 403,039 Clinton October 7 Obama
Daily News (Los Angeles, CA) 389,626 Did not endorse (22) Romney
The Orange County (CA) Register 362,242 NONE November 6 NONE
Houston Chronicle 356,347 Clinton July 29 Romney
The Philadelphia Inquirer 310,002 Clinton October 21 Obama
Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN) 300,495 Clinton October 22 Obama
Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg) 299,985 Clinton October 6 Obama
The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ) 285,249 Clinton October 23 Obama
Honolulu Star-Advertiser 265,099 Clinton October 23 Obama
The Boston Globe 253,373 Clinton October 8 Obama
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 249,390 Does not endorse candidates (1)
The Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) (7) 245,133 Clinton September 27 Romney
The Seattle Times 241,320 Clinton October 7 Obama
Las Vegas Review-Journal 233,326 Trump October 22 Romney
The Oregonian (Portland, OR) 225,868 Does not endorse candidates (21)
The San Diego Union-Tribune (10) 222,541 Clinton September 30 Romney
The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH) 213,870 Clinton October 9 Obama
San Francisco Chronicle 212,179 Clinton August 5 Obama
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 199,182 Did not endorse (22) Romney
Pioneer Press (St. Paul, MN) 197,727 Does not endorse candidates (1)
Detroit Free Press 196,955 Clinton October 30 Obama
Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel 194,321 NOT Trump November 4 NONE
The Sacramento Bee 190,204 Clinton September 30 Obama
The Tampa Tribune 181,589 Ceased operations in May 2016 Romney
Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, TX) 172,233 NOT Trump October 21 Romney
Kansas City Star 169,936 Clinton October 14 Obama
El Nuevo Dia (San Juan, PR) 168,274 Located in a U.S. territory without electoral votes
St. Louis Post-Dispatch 161,343 Clinton October 8 Obama
The Salt Lake Tribune 161,108 Clinton October 12 Obama
Investor's Business Daily (Los Angeles, CA) 156,119 Did not endorse (22) Romney
The Baltimore Sun 155,352 Clinton September 29 Obama
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 153,078 NONE November 7 Obama
Orlando Sentinel 152,923 Clinton October 14 Romney
Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 151,413 Clinton September 30 Romney
The Record (Hackensack, NJ) 148,087 Clinton October 10 Obama
The Indianapolis Star 147,342 Did not endorse (22) NONE
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR) 146,292 Did not endorse (22) Romney
The Buffalo News 142,509 Clinton October 27 Obama
The Columbus (OH) Dispatch 131,276 Clinton October 9 Romney
Austin American-Statesman 130,457 NONE February 15 NONE
San Antonio Express-News 130,019 Clinton October 2 Obama
The Miami Herald 129,907 Clinton October 14 Obama
Charlotte Observer 128,344 Clinton October 1 Obama
Omaha World-Herald (11) 125,470 Clinton October 16 Romney
The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY) 124,828 Clinton October 16 Obama
The Virginian-Pilot (Hampton Roads, VA) 124,381 Does not endorse candidates (1)
The Hartford Courant 124,074 Clinton October 7 Obama
The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA) 124,051 NONE November 7 Romney
La Opinión 118,483 Clinton October 18 Obama
The Cincinnati Enquirer (4) 117,754 Clinton September 23 Romney
News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) 115,017 Clinton October 8 Obama
The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK) (12) 112,225 NONE October 16 Romney
The Detroit News (8) 108,377 Johnson September 29 Romney
The Providence Journal 106,605 Clinton October 15 Obama
Deseret News (Salt Lake City, UT) 106,424 Does not endorse candidates
Baton Rouge Advocate 103,990 Does not endorse candidates
Richmond Times-Dispatch 99,373 Johnson September 3 Romney
Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY) (13) 96,957 Clinton October 14 Obama
The Fresno Bee 96,287 Clinton October 7 Obama
The Blade (Toledo, OH) 95,939 Did not endorse (22) Obama
Dayton Daily News 95,282 Does not endorse candidates (1)
The Tennessean (Nashville, TN) (14) 94,263 NONE October 23 Romney
Tulsa World (2) 91,810 NONE August 9 Romney
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) 91,745 Clinton October 22 Romney
Asbury Park Press 89,888 Clinton October 14 Obama
The Des Moines Register 89,684 Clinton October 15 Romney
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) 89,654 Clinton October 8 NONE
Boston Herald 88,052 NONE October 20 Romney
The Palm Beach Post Clinton | Trump (18) 87,699 NONE November 4 NONE
Northwest Indiana Times (15) 86,549 NONE October 23 Romney
Albuquerque Journal (16) 82,416 NONE October 30 Romney
The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL) 82,340 Trump November 5 Romney
Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI) 81,103 Clinton October 16 Romney
Greater Philadelphia Newspaper Group 80,095 Does not endorse candidates
Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, AZ) 77,547 Clinton October 9 Obama
The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) 77,433 Johnson November 6 Romney
The News Journal (New Castle County, DE) 76,185 Clinton November 4 Obama
The Akron Beacon Journal 75,622 Clinton September 24 Obama
LNP News (Lancaster, PA) 74,625 Clinton October 18 SPLIT
Telegram and Gazette (Worcester, MA) 73,968 Did not endorse (22) Romney
Lexington (KY) Herald Leader 73,276 Clinton October 14 Obama
El Paso Times 72,517 Clinton September 30 Obama
Knoxville News Sentinel 72,350 Does not endorse candidates (20)
The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) 70,866 Does not endorse candidates
Rockford Register Times (Rockford, IL) 69,253 Clinton October 22 Obama
New Haven Register (CT) Clinton | Trump (17) 68,148 NONE November 3 Obama
The News Tribune (Tacoma, WA) 67,135 Clinton October 22 Obama
Times Free Press (Chattanooga, TN) 66,473 NONE October 16 Johnson

 

Timing of Newspaper Endorsements: 2008 to 2016

 

Citations

Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, "2016 General Election Editorial Endorsements by Major Newspapers."
The American Presidency Project. Ed. John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters. Santa Barbara, CA: University of California. 1999-2020.

Data compiled by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley after reviewing original editorials of the listed newspapers.

(1) See footnotes on our 2012 endorsements page (http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data/2012_newspaper_endorsements.php)
(2) On August 9, 2016, The Tulsa World announced that after having endorsed the Republican nominee in every election since 1940, it could not endorse any candidate in 2016 stating, "two major party candidates who leave voters with more questions about their character, integrity and policies than anyone can answer". See: http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/editorials/tulsa-world-editorial-endorsement-for-president-none-of-the-above/article_acd669eb-a7c8-51ec-9675-246a990faa9a.html 
(3) The last time The Dallas Morning News endorsed a Democrat for president was for Franklin Roosevelt in 1944.
(4) The last time The Cincinnati Enquirer endorsed a Democrat for president was for Woodrow Wilson in 1916. 
(5) The New York Times also noted that it would publish a separate editorial explaining in more detail why Donald Trump should not be president. That additional editorial is available here: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/26/opinion/why-donald-trump-should-not-be-president.html.
(6) USA Today broke from its tradition of not endorsing presidential candidates by publishing an editorial urging voters not to vote for Donald Trump, and instead choose from among the other candidates.
(7) This was the first time in the 126 year history of The Arizona Republic that it endorsed a Democrat for president. 
(8) This was the first time in the 143 year history of The Detroit News that it did not endorse a Republican for president. (It did not endorse in three elections in its history.)
(9) The last time The Chicago Tribune endorsed a third-party candidate was in 1912 for Theodore Roosevelt. It has a history of endorsing Republican candidates although it endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 & 2012.
(10) This was the first time in the 148 year history of The San Diego Union-Tribune that it endorsed a Democrat for president.
(11) The last time The Omaha World-Herald endorsed a Democrat for president was for Franklin Roosevelt in 1932.
(12) The Oklahoman did not endorse either candidate and instead told voters to focus on protecting the Republican majority in Congress. "Our conclusion: Vote to preserve Republican control of Congress, regardless of which presidential candidate wins." & "Our advice: By all means vote on Nov. 8, then pray for this country."
(13) On October 15, the Democrat and Chronicle also published a "dissenting" opinion from a "citizen member" of the editorial board who did not agree with the paper's endorsement of Clinton. That dissent can be found here: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/opinion/columnist/2016/10/14/democrat-chronicle-citizen-editorial-board-member-dissent-endorsement/92047130/
(14) For the first time since 1836 The Tennessean chose not to endorse a candidate. On October 23 it published an editorial titled, "We Endorse the Legitimacy of the U.S. Electoral System" in which it criticized Donald Trump's assertions that the U.S. electorial system is illegitimate. In addition, its decision not to endorse is related to the fact that neither Clinton nor Trump chose to be interviewed by the editorial board. The editorial includes the arguments of six citizens making their cases for Clinton, Trump, and Johnson.
(15) Times Media Company editor Bob Heisse wrote that The Northwest Indiana Times would not endorse in the presidential election in 2016. "We're endorsing only in races where we can meet and question the candidates. We will not endorse in the presidential race."
(16) On October 30 the Albuquerque Journal Editorial Board declined to endorse any candidate and stated, "The Journal has not withheld a presidential endorsement in recent memory. But given their records, it isn't possible to recommend any of the candidates. Still, it's important to vote, making your best judgment."
(17) The New Haven Register declined to endorse a candidate in 2016. Instead, it published two separate editorials on November 2 outlining the positive and negative qualities of each candidiate. Each editorial included an explanation and stated, "But given that a vast swathe of the American public very much sees one or the other of these candidates as the lesser of two evils, the decision was made to offer fair information here about the positive and negative attributes of both candidates." The APP includes the link to each editorial in the table above.
(18) The Palm Beach Post did not endorse a candidate in 2016. Instead, it published two separate editorials on November 4 outlining the case for each candidate. The APP includes the link to each editorial in the table above.
(19) The Wall Street Journal continued its practice of not having endorsed a presidential candidate since 1928. On November 4 it published two editorials focusing on each candidate's strengths and weaknesses. At the end of the editorial covering Trump, it stated, "The Wall Street Journal hasn't endorsed a presidential candidate since 1928, and if we didn't endorse Ronald Reagan we aren't about to revive the practice for Mrs. Clinton or Mr. Trump."
(20) The Knoxville News Sentinel continued its practice of not endorsing presidential candidates. In a November 7 editorial encouraging people to vote, it stated, "The News Sentinel does not endorse a candidate for president, primarily because the editorial board does not have the opportunity to interview the candidates." 
(21) In an editorial on October 14, The Oregonian stated, "Our editorial board decided in 2012 to abandon presidential endorsements after supporting a long line of mostly Republican presidential candidates. There were, however, departures for Bill Clinton, John Kerry and Barack Obama, who received our last presidential endorsement in 2008."
(22) As of 06:00 GMT November 8, 2016 (election day), this paper did not publish an endorsement of any candidate.

• Top 100 Newspapers determined by circulation data available from BurrellesLuce's March 2014 edition (the most current as of publication date for this page). Available at: http://www.burrellesluce.com/resources/top_media_outlets