Despite the close presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, The Washington Post has opted not to endorse a candidate for the first time in over three decades, as announced by the paper’s CEO and publisher on Friday, October 25.
“We are returning to our tradition of refraining from endorsing presidential candidates,” wrote Will Lewis in an op-ed published on the newspaper’s website. He mentioned that prior to 1976, The Post did not endorse candidates until breaking that tradition to support Democratic nominee Jimmy Carter after the Watergate scandal. According to historical records, the last time The Post withheld a general election endorsement was in 1988.
The decision was communicated by editorial page editor David Shipley in a meeting shortly before the official announcement, leaving staff members surprised and unhappy, according to an insider. Shipley stated that the decision to abstain from endorsing had been decided by leadership and said it aimed to preserve “an independent space” without the paper guiding readers on how to vote.
Martin Baron, a former Washington Post executive editor who led the newsroom through Trump’s presidency, criticized the move strongly. Baron labeled the decision as “cowardice” and a setback for democracy, warning it might embolden Trump to exert pressure on media owners, including The Post’s Jeff Bezos.
This stance is echoed by recent developments at the Los Angeles Times, where owner Patrick Soon-Shiong’s call for a neutral “factual analysis” on the two candidates led to the resignation of the editorials editor and two editorial board members.
In her resignation, editorials editor Mariel Garza described the stance as making the publication appear “craven and hypocritical,” given its previous critiques of Trump.
The Post’s investigative team has consistently reported on allegations against Trump and his associates, with the editorial board independently deeming him unfit for office.
It has especially emphasized his actions in January 2021 to encourage his supporters to challenge the certification of President Biden’s election, a major focus of its critical coverage of Trump.
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