--- title: Donald Trump Loses Union Leader Endorsement to Gary Johnson description: Breaking with a century of tradition, the influential Union Leader of New Hampshire declined to endorse the Republican nominee for President canonical: https://time.com/4494968/donald-trump-new-hampshire-union-leader-endorsement/ author: Sam Frizell article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-09-15T14:32:11.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T00:37:21.939Z article:section: Politics og:title: Donald Trump Just Made This Newspaper Break With a Century of Tradition og:description: The New Hampshire Union Leader backed Gary Johnson instead og:url: https://time.com/4494968/donald-trump-new-hampshire-union-leader-endorsement/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt28d4ea49c8be4446/6988a6388e0601f77f46779a/gettyimages-605465774.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Libertarian Presidential Nominee Gary Johnson Speaks At Purdue University og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Donald Trump Just Made This Newspaper Break With a Century of Tradition twitter:description: The New Hampshire Union Leader backed Gary Johnson instead twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt28d4ea49c8be4446/6988a6388e0601f77f46779a/gettyimages-605465774.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # An Influential Newspaper Is Opposing the GOP Presidential Candidate for the First Time in a Century by [Sam Frizell](https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Sep 15, 2016 2:32 PM UTC  Gary Johnson, 2016 Libertarian presidential nominee, listens during a campaign event at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016. Gary Johnson, 2016 Libertarian presidential nominee, listens during a campaign event at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016.Bloomberg—Bloomberg via Getty Images by [Sam Frizell](https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Sep 15, 2016 2:32 PM UTC [Breaking with a century of tradition](http://www.unionleader.com/An-Editorial-Joseph-W-McQuaid-Publisher-A-better-choice-for-President-No-need-to-hold-your-nose-09142016), the influential _Union Leader_ of New Hampshire declined to endorse the Republican nominee for President late Tuesday, calling Donald Trump a “buffoon.” The newspaper, venerated in the swing state of New Hampshire and a staple of the country’s conservative publications, has endorsed the Republican nominee for more than 100 years. But in a new editorial, the _Union Leader_ launched a withering attack against Trump and endorsed Gary Johnson, the libertarian candidate for President. “The man is a liar, a bully, a buffoon,” Joseph W. McQuaid, the _Union Leader_ publisher, wrote of Trump in the editorial. “He denigrates any individual or group that displeases him. He 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.” The _Union Leader_ did not back Trump in the primary, [choosing instead to endorse New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie](http://www.unionleader.com/For-our-safety,-our-future:-Chris-Christie-for-President), who finished sixth in the contest with just 7% of the vote. The endorsement didn’t stop Trump from winning the primary with 35%. After Christie later endorsed Trump, McQuaid said he regretted his endorsement. “Voters leaning toward Trump are understandably fed up with the status quo, of which Clinton is a prime example,” McQuaid wrote. “But they kid 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.” Clinton has a slim lead over Trump in New Hampshire polls, edging him by two points in a recent NBC/_Wall Street Journal_/Marist poll. Johnson captures a sizable 15% of independent-minded New Hampshire voters, and the _Union Leader_ endorsement could help him take more votes from the Republican nominee. 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