Newspaper Endorsements in the 2020 Primary Campaign

In the closing month of the campaign, many newspapers make endorsements.  Newspaper endorsements may cause a significant difference in less-publicized races where voters are not familiar with the candidates or the specifics of a ballot initiative, but at the presidential level they probably do not have much impact.  That is not to say a newspaper endorsement has no effect.  When candidates are striving for credibility in the pre-primary period or the early primaries, a newspaper endorsement can have an impact.  Campaign ads often trumpet newspaper endorsements.  A newspaper's endorsement is generally decided by the editorial board, although sometimes the publisher weighs in or makes the decision.  Endorsements are often run in the Sunday paper to reach the largest audience.  To further help their readers, a number of papers make available video or audio recordings of ed. board meetings.  Some newspapers have a policy of not making endorsements, at least at the presidential level.  Examining the reasoning used in various papers' endorsements can offer clear insights into the candidates' strengths and weaknesses.