The Slatest

Las Vegas Review-Journal Hands Trump His First Major Newspaper Endorsement

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gives a thumbs up to the crowd during a campaign rally on Aug. 31 in Phoenix.

Ralph Freso/Getty Images

Donald Trump got a bit of welcome news on Sunday when he received his first major newspaper endorsement by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The paper, which was bought by casino magnate and major Republican donor Sheldon Adelson last year, said that while Trump is far from perfect, he would still make a good president. And he’s definitely better than the alternative. “Hillary Clinton promises to lead us down the same path,” writes the newspaper. “She’ll cuddle up to the ways and perks of Washington like she would to a cozy old blanket.”

Sure, adds the paper’s editorial board, “Trump’s impulsiveness and overheated rhetoric alienate many voters. He has trouble dealing with critics and would be wise to discover the power of humility.” But the Republican candidate “brings a corporate sensibility and a steadfast determination to an ossified Beltway culture,” notes the Las Vegas newspaper, adding that views on who should fill vacancies in the Supreme Court are “of particular importance.”

In contrast, Clinton “would indulge the worst instincts of the authoritarian left and continue to swell the bloated regulatory state while running the nation deeper into the red. The Las Vegas Review-Journal also says that it’s natural many appear to fear a Trump presidency because “agents for reform often generate fear and alarm among those intent on preserving their cushy sinecures.” Ultimately though Trump “represents neither the danger his critics claim nor the magic elixir many of his supporters crave.”

Although Trump has been endorsed by a few small newspapers including the Santa Barbara News-Press in California and the St. Joseph News-Press in Missouri, this marks the first time a major newspaper has endorsed the Republican candidate. Several newspapers that have traditionally endorsed Republican candidates, including the Arizona Republic, Houston Chronicle, and the San Diego Union-Tribune, have backed Clinton. Even Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson has more major newspaper endorsements than Trump considering the Chicago Tribune, Detroit News, New Hampshire Union Leader, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Caledonian-Record, and the Winston-Salem Journal have backed his candidacy.

Read more Slate coverage of the 2016 campaign.