The Las Vegas Review-Journal has become the first major newspaper to endorse Donald Trump, according to CNN. The Republican candidate has previously been endorsed by smaller, more local newspapers. The Review-Journal‘s editorial that endorsed Trump was published online on Saturday.
“These are turbulent times,” the editorial opens, citing frustration with self serving politicians and the “pernicious” establishment. It expresses discontent with Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, calling her a “disaster,” and implying a Clinton presidency would be a continuation of the Obama administration. It doesn’t excuse Mr. Trump’s “overheated rhetoric” or “implusiveness,” suggesting the candidate should “discover the power of humility.” However, the editors do call him an “agent of reform,” adding that said agents are never received well. This, they believe, is the reason for the overwhelming negative media coverage of the candidate, or in their words, “a barrage of unceasing vitriol” and “carnival clatter.” The editorial continues to say that Trump “promises to be a source of disruption and discomfort to the privileged, back-scratching political elites for whom the nation’s strength and solvency have become subservient to power’s pursuit and preservation.” It ends with a simple, “Donald Trump for President.”
The Review-Journal is Nevada’s largest circulating newspaper with nearly 200,000 readers. It’s a historically Republican newspaper, and was recently purchased for $140 Million by casino billionaire and Trump supporter Sheldon Adelson. According to Politico, despite the paper being already right leaning, many staff members have recently quit in protest of the paper’s management. However, the publisher insists that the owners have no influence over the paper’s editorials.
Most other major newspapers have endorsed Clinton, including The New York Times, The Boston Globe and The Los Angeles Times. Clinton has more than 180 newspaper endorsements from daily newspapers, around 40 which previously endorsed Republican Mitt Romney for president in 2012. Donald Trump has only received five endorsements. In fact, many historically right newspapers have hopped party lines to endorse Clinton, including The Cincinatti Enquirer and The Arizona Republic.
As Nevada is among the battleground states which will help determine the election, both campaigns are focused on winning the state. President Obama is expected to campaign there on behalf of Clinton late Monday. With two weeks left until election day, this endorsement cuts it close as Clinton is winning by a wide margin in most national polls.