Zero influence.
Pathetic.
Exactly. In the 1950’s the leading academic theory of political opinion formation was the “opinion leader” model. It assumed great importance to newspaper endorsements.
Today newspapers are serving such atomized subscriber bases that their editorial stance is almost meaningless. They typically do not have a local editorial staff, and like Gannett are getting editorials from some national office.
I looked at the Milwaukee Journal last week, hoping to see polls on the Wisconsin’s Governor’s race. There are no polls for that race, because they cannot afford to do any. And their piece on Ron Johnson was a reprint of a hit-piece article authored by ProPublica (!)
So, to the Palm Beach Post, Tampa Bay Times, and others whose names I have been too disinterested to notice - sod off!