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- President Donald Trump has received only two endorsements from major newspapers for his reelection, as of Oct. 21.
- That’s far behind the three dozen leading newspapers that have endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
- Newspaper endorsements have historically helped undecided voters choose a candidate.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Only two major American newspapers have 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 outlets in favor of Trump are the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
“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.
“What is remarkable about Trump is that he has kept so many of his campaign promises, especially compared to previous presidents,” the Democrat Gazette’s editorial board wrote.
The University of California Santa Barbara tracks major newspaper endorsements, which it defines as the largest 100 newspapers by circulation.
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, whose 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.
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