• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, November 3, 2024

Pundits criticizing The Washington Post and other papers for not endorsing a presidential candidate are out of step with the electorate. 

A new poll by YouGov shows that 47% of voters feel newspapers should not back a candidate. Another 28% believe they should, while the remaining 25% are unsure. 

Democrats are more likely to support endorsements — 45% do, versus 22% of. Independents and 17% of Republicans. And 66% of Republicans are against them.

Among generations, endorsements are unpopular with 41% of Gen Z, 41% of millennials, 52% of Gen X and 50% of people aged 65+.  

The results also vary according to race: 48% of whites are against endorsements, as are 40% of Blacks, 45% of Hispanics and 50% of those in the “other” category. 

In contrast, 30% of whites say publications should endorse candidates, while 31% of Black voters agree. Only 21% of Hispanic voters concur, and 20% of those classified as “other.” 

Among males, 32% favor endorsements, compared to 24% of females. But the genders are roughly equal in opposing endorsements. 

This seems a highly partisan question. The Post and LA Times both had editorials ready that endorsed Harris, but they were cancelled. 

There was instant fury over those decisions, with the Post losing 250,000 subscribers.

But it is unclear  whether endorsements sway election outcomes. When asked whether they do, voters in a subset of the study answered:

• Very often — 10% 
• Somewhat often — 28% 
• Not very often — 28%
• Not at all often — 14% 
• Not sure — 20%

YouGov surveyed 6,030 respondents on October 29.