Tuesday marks the beginning of Wisconsin’s spring election season, as clerks’ offices around the state open for early in-person voting.
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What happens to your ballot on Election Day
See who the Wisconsin State Journal has endorsed for president, from Biden to Reagan and Honest Abe
2016 -- Hillary Clinton (lost)
"Hillary Clinton — by far — is best prepared to lead our nation toward peace and prosperity. The former secretary of state, U.S. senator and first lady is disciplined, knowledgeable and experienced. Unlike her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, a wealthy New York businessman and reality television star, Clinton will assemble a strong administration that can work with Congress toward bipartisan solutions. Trump has shown he can’t even work with his own party. He’s tearing the GOP apart."
Read the full endorsement here.
2012 -- Mitt Romney (lost)
"Mitt Romney showed as the Republican governor of Democratic-leaning Massachusetts that he can find agreement across the partisan divide. And his vice presidential pick — Wisconsin's U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville — suggests Romney is serious about tackling America's fiscal mess. Romney has an impressive record of success in the private and public sectors. He's a numbers guy who focuses more on results than ideology. That's why so many of his fellow Republicans during the GOP primary criticized him for not being conservative enough."
Read the full editorial here.
2008 -- Barack Obama (won)
"The right leader for the time is Barack Obama. The Wisconsin State Journal endorses the dynamic and youthful senator from Illinois for president. Far more than his opponent, Obama represents a new direction. He has shown he can inspire and lead people to action. And his relatively short time in corrupt, self-absorbed, terribly failed Washington, D.C., may actually be a key strength. Obama is not stuck in the status quo of the Capitol crowd or its long-failed Congress. Obama doesn't just give pretty speeches. He speaks to people's best instincts, encouraging them to shine."
Read the full editorial here.
2004 -- George W. Bush (won)
"It comes down to this: President George W. Bush tells people what he will do. Sen. John Kerry tells people what they want to hear. Bush is confident in action -- even when mistaken. Kerry is comfortable in passivity -- even at high cost. So neither candidate is perfect, but one is a better choice. Overall, Bush has been an effective leader in a time of unprecedented threat."
To read the entire endorsement, click here.
2000 -- George W. Bush (won)
"For all the efforts by Democrats to portray George W. Bush as an empty suit, the product of privilege and money, he has emerged from months of campaigning and three nationally televised debates with his message and his credibility intact. The more Americans have seen of Bush, the more they seem to like him. ... This is not to say we agree with Bush on all issues: Abortion, the death penalty and the flag amendment come quickly to mind. Nor is it to say that Bush has thus far been as inspiring as a Roosevelt, a Kennedy or a Reagan. (Actually, the only candidate who seems to be capturing the imagination of new voters is Ralph Nader.) It is to say, however, that Bush has shown himself to be the best choice for America in this race. The Wisconsin State Journal endorses his election."
To read the entire endorsement, click here.
1996 -- Bob Dole (lost)
"Yes, Bob Dole's campaign was miserably conceived and executed. Yes, the former senator from Kansas cannot explain in 25 words or less why he wants to be president, only why he deserves to be. And, yes, his party harbors extremists who confuse moralism with conservatism. But Bob Dole is not Bill Clinton, which is enough reason in itself to elect him president. After four years of sleaze and denigration of the nation's highest office, it's time for a change. In this presidential election year, character is not just an issue -- it is the issue confronting voters. The contrast between Dole and Clinton is stark. Dole has plenty of character; Clinton has shown the nation he has very little."
To read the entire endorsement, click here.
1992 -- Bill Clinton (won)
"Bill Clinton's way is not a liberal way nor a conservative way. It is a third way, or, in his words, "a new choice based on old values." It is a choice that we urge Wisconsin voters to make. Bill Clinton's Democratic Party is not the party that rightfully lost five of the last six presidential elections. It is born of an attitude that liberal fundamentalism had worn out its welcome in America. ... There are things not to like about Clinton, too, but his vision for reviving the economy, fixing our cities and restoring a sense of national purpose is compelling."
To read the entire endorsement, click here.
1988 -- George H. W. Bush (won)
