Wisconsin State Journal endorses Romney, becomes latest paper to flip from Obama in ’08

by Julie Moos

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 eighth 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

•Colorado: 2 for Romney; 1 for Obama
   •The (Colorado Springs) Gazette (Romney)
   •Denver Post (Obama)
   •The Pueblo Chieftan (Romney)

•Florida: 7 for Romney; 2 for Obama
   •Florida Today (Romney)
   •Miami Herald (Obama)
   •Naples Daily News (Romney)
   •Orlando Sentinel (Romney)
   •Pensacola News Journal (Romney)
   •South Florida Sun Sentinel (Romney)
   •Tampa Bay Times (Obama)
   •Tampa Tribune (Romney)
   •Florida Times-Union (Romney)
   •Palm Beach Post endorsed Obama in ‘08, but is not endorsing presidential candidates
   •Sarasota Herald-Tribune endorsed Obama in ‘08, not endorsing presidential candidates this year

•Iowa: 4 for Romney; 1 for Obama
   •Des Moines Register (Romney)
   •The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette (Romney)
   •Press-Citizen (Obama)
   •Quad-City Times (Romney)
   •Sioux City Journal (Romney)

•Nevada: 2 for Romney; 1 for Obama
   •Las Vegas Review-Journal (Romney)
   •Las Vegas Sun (Obama)
   •Reno Gazette-Journal (Romney)

•New Hampshire: 2 for Romney
   •The (Nashua) Telegraph (Romney)
   •Union Leader (Gingrich then Romney)

•North Carolina: 5 for Obama; 1 for Romney
   •Charlotte Observer (Obama)
   •Citizen-Times (Obama)
   •Greenville Reflector (Romney)
   •The Pilot (Obama)
   •Raleigh News & Observer (Obama)
   •Winston-Salem Journal (Obama)

• Ohio: 4 for Obama; 4 for Romney
   •Akron Beacon Journal (Obama)
   •Athens News (Obama)
   •Cincinnati Enquirer (Romney)
   •Cleveland Plain Dealer (Obama)
   •Columbus Dispatch (Romney)
   •Lima News (Romney)
   •The Morning Journal
   •The Toledo Blade (Obama)
   •Dayton Daily News endorsed Obama in ‘08, but will not be endorsing this year
 
•Virginia: 1 for Romney; 1 for Obama
   •Richmond Times-Dispatch (Romney)
   •The Washington Post serves northern Virginia (Obama)
   •The Roanoke Times did not endorse in ‘08 nor will they this year
   •The Virginian Pilot did not endorse in ‘08

•Wisconsin: 1 for Romney
  •Milwaukee Journal Sentinel endorsed Obama in ‘08, but isn’t endorsing this year
  •Wisconsin State Journal (Romney)


Newspapers that flipped parties in 2012

At least 30 papers that supported Obama for president in 2008 have flipped to endorse Romney for president in 2012. The daily papers include:

 •Billings Gazette
 •Cape Cod Times
 •Casper Star-Tribune
 •The Columbian
 •The Daily Herald
 •Daily News (L.A.)
 •Daily Tribune
 •The Dallas Morning News
 •Des Moines Register
 •The Florida Times-Union (which split between McCain & Obama in ’08)
 •Florida Today
 •Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 •Houston Chronicle
 •The Journal & Courier
 •The Joplin Globe
 •Naples Daily News
 •New York Daily News
 •New York Observer
 •Newsday
 •Orlando Sentinel
 •Pasadena Star-News
 •Pensacola News Journal
 •Press-Telegram (Long Beach)
 •Quad-City Times
 •Reno Gazette-Journal
 •Shreveport Times
 •South Florida Sun Sentinel
 •The (Nashua) Telegraph
 •The Tennessean
 •Wisconsin State Journal

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

 •San Antonio Express-News
 •The San Francisco Examiner
 •Winston-Salem Journal