Papers break from tradition

Another major newspaper that’s a near-lock for Republican nominees seeking an endorsement in most elections has decided Trump is not a viable option.

The benefactor: Johnson.

In a sharply worded editorial, the Detroit News editorial board backed the Libertarian, setting aside the newspaper’s 143-year history of supporting only Republicans.

“We abandon that long and estimable tradition this year for one reason: Donald J. Trump,” the board wrote Thursday.

“Trump is unprincipled, unstable and quite possibly dangerous. He cannot be president,” wrote the board, noting that Johnson is the “longest of long shots,” but a better option than Trump or Clinton.

Trump’s campaign is aiming to flip traditionally Democratic Michigan into his column with appeals to working-class white men.

Clinton has received the endorsements of the Dallas Morning News and the Arizona Republic, newspapers that for decades have been stalwart supporters of GOP nominees. Last month, Johnson also received the support of the Union Leader in New Hampshire — the first time the paper did not endorse a Republican in more than 100 years.

And this week USA Today broke its 34-year tradition of not endorsing in a presidential race, publishing a scathing argument against voting for Trump.