NEW YORK CITY (TND) — The New York Times editorial board will no longer issue endorsements in state elections, the publication's Opinion editor announced Monday.
EditorKathleen Kingsbury did not provide a specific reason for the change, simply saying "Opinionwill continue to offer perspective on the races, candidates and issues at stake." She noted The Times remains “rooted in New York City."
The change will take effect immediately, with the editorial board refraining from weighing in on this November's state congressional and Senate races. The board will continue to make endorsements in presidential elections, as it has since 1860, according to The Times.
The Times's editorial board is made up of members of the publication's Opinion section and operates independently of the newsroom. A description of the board on The Times's website says it "argues for a world that is both free and fair, believing that societies must struggle to reconcile these values in order to succeed."
Former editorial board memberCarol Giacomo condemned the decision via X, calling it "unfortunate."
"NYT surrenders accountability mechanism and ability to influence the debate/outcome in its own backyard," she said.
The move adds The Times's editorial board to a growing list of publications taking a step back from political endorsements. In 2022, Alden Global Capital, the second-largest newspaper publisher in the country, announced its papers would no longer issue endorsements in presidential, gubernatorial or Senate races.
Alden Global Capital said at the time readers were growing "confused" over the difference between news and opinion.
In late June, The Times's editorial board urged President Joe Biden to abandon his reelection bid, citing the president's poor performance at the first presidential debate. The board wrote at the time the Democratic Party needed to "select someone more capable to stand in [Biden's] place" in order to defeat former President Donald Trump.
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