New Hampshire's influential Union Leader endorses Libertarian Gary Johnson

Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson.
(Image credit: George Frey/Getty Images)

The New Hampshire Union Leader is breaking tradition, endorsing Libertarian Gary Johnson over Donald Trump, the first time in more than 100 years the paper, the most influential in the state, is not backing a Republican for president.

The editorial, by publisher Joseph McQuaid, says that while voters "leaning toward Trump are understandably fed up with the status quo, of which [Hillary] Clinton is a prime example," they are kidding themselves "if they think Trump isn't pretty much a part of that status quo as well, or that he is in any way qualified to competently lead this nation." It goes on to call Trump a "liar, a bully, [and] a buffoon" who 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." McQuaid didn't spare Clinton either, calling her a "selfish, self-centered, sanctimonious prig."

The records of Johnson and his running mate, Bill Weld, both former Republican governors, "speak well of them," McQuaid concludes, and "in today's dark times, they are a bright light of hope and reason."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.