For the first time in more than 100 years, New Hampshire’s largest newspaper has declined to endorse the Republican nominee for president.
In a pair of editorials published Wednesday by New Hampshire Union Leader publisher Joseph McQuaid and the editorial board, the newspaper endorsed Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson for president in a pointed affront to Donald Trump.
Writing that Trump is not “qualified to competently lead this nation,” McQuaid said the moneyed real estate mogul represents the “status quo” as much as Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
“The man is a liar, a bully, a buffoon,” McQuaid wrote. “He denigrates any individual or group that displeases him. He has dishonored military veterans and their families, made fun of the physically frail, and changed political views almost as often as he has changed wives.”
The conservative publisher devoted most of his column to bashing Trump, but also labeled Clinton a “selfish, self-centered, sanctimonious prig.”
His editorial board wrote that Johnson and running mate Bill Weld were “intelligent, competent, experienced executives” in a stark contrast to the “horrible candidates” running on the major party tickets.
The Union Leader is not the only right-leaning newspaper to break with a tradition of endorsing the Republican candidate. The Dallas Morning News last week endorsed Clinton, its first time backing a Democratic presidential nominee since World War II.
Trump arrives in the Granite State on Thursday to hold a rally at a middle school in Laconia.
