Swing-state papers flip to Romney ahead of Election Day
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The race for the White House is airtight hours before Election Day. But in the battle of swing-state newspaper endorsements, Mitt Romney appears to be winning -- aided in large part by papers that switched from backing Obama in 2008 to supporting the 2012 Republican nominee.
According to an analysis by Poynter, Romney has bagged a total of 24 swing-state newspaper endorsements, to Obama's 15. Across the country, at least 30 newspapers also flipped from backing Obama in 2008 to backing Romney this year.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}They include some major swing-state papers, including the Wisconsin State Journal. In its editorial Sunday, the newspaper called Obama the "more likable and inspiring speaker." However, the editorial said, "this election is about jobs ... This is now Obama's economy, even though the GOP shares in the blame for partisan games."
The State Journal joined the Des Moines Register, Naples Daily News, Reno Gazette-Journal and the Orlando Sentinel, among others, in flipping to back Romney.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The New York Daily News also made waves this weekend by endorsing Romney, after having backed Obama in 2008.
"Four years ago, the Daily News endorsed Obama, seeing a historic figure whose intelligence, political skills and empathy with common folk positioned him to build on the small practical experience he would bring to the world's toughest job," the endorsement in part states. "We valued Obama's pledge to govern with bold pragmatism and bipartisanship. The hopes of those days went unfulfilled."
According to Poynter, at least three papers flipped from Sen. John McCain in 2008 to Obama this year. They were the San Antonio Express-News, The San Francisco Examiner and the Winston-Salem Journal.
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Several other newspapers abstained from endorsing anybody this year after backing Obama four years ago -- including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Palm Beach Post and the Dayton Daily News.
The following is Poynter's tally of newspapers that flipped from Obama to Romney:
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Billings Gazette
Cape Cod Times
Casper Star-Tribune
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Columbian
The Daily Herald
Los Angeles Daily News
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Daily Tribune
The Dallas Morning News
Des Moines Register
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Florida Times-Union
Florida Today
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Houston Chronicle
The Journal & Courier
The Joplin Globe
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Naples Daily News
New York Daily News
New York Observer
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Newsday
Orlando Sentinel
Pasadena Star-News
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pensacola News Journal
Press-Telegram -- Long Beach, Calif.
Quad-City Times
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Reno Gazette-Journal
Shreveport Times
South Florida Sun Sentinel
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Telegraph -- Nashua, N.H.
The Tennessean
Wisconsin State Journal