USA Today has joined the ranks of national news outlets opting not to endorse a presidential candidate in this election cycle, dismissing requests from its staff to support Vice President Kamala Harris just a week before the election. Previously, the outlet had backed President Joe Biden in 2020, marking the first time in its history it made a presidential endorsement. However, it has chosen to refrain from endorsing Harris in 2024. This decision extends to over 200 Gannett-owned publications nationwide, although those papers still have the ability to endorse local candidates.
“None of the USA TODAY Network publications are endorsing in presidential or national races,” said Lark-Marie Antón, a spokesperson for USA Today, as reported by The Hill on Monday.
“While USA TODAY will not endorse for president, local editors at publications across the USA TODAY Network have the discretion to endorse at a state or local level,” she added in a subsequent statement. “Many have decided not to endorse individual candidates, but rather, endorse key local and state issues on the ballot that impact the community.”
“Why are we doing this? Because we believe America’s future is decided locally – one race at a time,” the spokesperson explained. “And with more than 200 publications across the nation, our public service is to provide readers with the facts that matter and the trusted information they need to make informed decisions.”
Last week, the Los Angeles Times became the first major outlet to withhold an endorsement in this presidential cycle after its editorial board suggested backing Harris. This was notable since the Times had endorsed every Democratic presidential candidate since Barack Obama in 2008, according to The Daily Wire. The decision not to proceed with the endorsement reportedly came from Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, a prominent biotech entrepreneur who purchased the newspaper six years ago.
A spokesperson from the Times did not confirm the details surrounding the rejected endorsement, stating: “We do not comment on internal discussions or decisions about editorials or endorsements.”
Following this decision, Mariel Garza, the head of the Times’ editorial board, announced her resignation, as covered by The Daily Wire.
“I am resigning because I want to make it clear that I am not okay with us being silent,” Garza told the Columbia Journalism Review. “In dangerous times, honest people need to stand up. This is how I’m standing up.”
“I didn’t think we were going to change our readers’ minds—our readers, for the most part, are Harris supporters,” she continued. “We’re a very liberal paper. I didn’t think we were going to change the outcome of the election in California.”
Following the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post also declared it would abstain from endorsing a presidential candidate after its editorial board had discussed supporting Harris, as reported by The Daily Wire.
“The Washington Post will not be making an endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election,” the Post Editorial Board stated. “Nor in any future presidential election. We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.”
“We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility,” they added. “That is inevitable. We don’t see it that way.”
Following this announcement, the Post reportedly lost over 200,000 subscribers.
