By:
November 4, 2012

In the final hours of the presidential campaign, the largest endorsing newspaper in the swing state of Wisconsin has thrown its support to GOP nominee Mitt Romney.

In an editorial published Sunday, the Wisconsin State Journal said:

This is not an easy endorsement to make.

Obama is the more likeable candidate and inspiring speaker. Obama inherited a mess from his predecessor, Republican President George W. Bush, who was even more disappointing than Obama has been.

Obama got us out of Iraq. He pressured public schools to reform. He gave the final order that got Osama bin Laden.

But this election is about jobs, the slow economy and Washington’s dysfunction. Our leaders can’t even pass a budget, much less stabilize soaring debt that’s burdening our children and grandchildren.

Obama failed to embrace his own commission’s bipartisan debt deal. Ryan, serving on the commission, similarly balked at the solid and comprehensive agreement.

But Obama is the president. The buck stops with him. This is now Obama’s economy, even though the GOP shares in the blame for partisan games.

This endorsement may be even more significant since the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel decided not to endorse either presidential candidate this year.

The State Journal becomes the ninth large paper in a Swing State to flip from an Obama endorsement in 2008. Newsday’s endorsement of Romney this weekend was also a reversal of the paper’s ’08 Obama endorsement, as was the New York Daily News endorsement.

Swing state endorsement tally: Romney 24, Obama 15

Newspapers that flipped parties in 2012

At least 35 papers that supported Obama for president in 2008 have flipped to endorse Romney for president in 2012. The papers, most of them dailies, include:

At least three papers have flipped in the other direction, from endorsing John McCain in 2008 to Obama in 2012:

Courtesy of the Newseum

Related: Learn about covering polls, religion, and more (NewsU)

Correction: This post originally stated that the Dallas Morning News supported Obama for president in 2008, but the paper supported GOP nominee John McCain.

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Julie Moos
Julie Moos (jmoos@poynter.org) has been Director of Poynter Online and Poynter Publications since 2009. Previously, she was Editor of Poynter Online (2007-2009) and Poynter Publications…
Julie Moos

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