Orlando Sentinel endorses Pete Buttigieg

The first major newspaper endorsement of Florida’s Democratic primary is out, with the Orlando Sentinel giving a big hug to Pete Buttigieg Friday morning.

“The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has displayed the qualities of a president from the beginning of this campaign,” the newspaper’s endorsement column, published Friday online, declared.

“When other candidates make debate points by yelling, Buttigieg calms the storm, conveying ideas clearly, reasonably and respectfully.

“When other candidates talk about war in the abstract, Buttigieg speaks from a position of experience.”

“When other candidates take outlandish positions this nation can’t possibly afford or get through Congress, Buttigieg remains grounded in fiscal and political reality. From health care to immigration to defense, we find his policies to be progressive, but also mostly pragmatic and achievable,” the Sentinel’s editorial board observed.

In a sense, Buttigieg could be an obvious choice for Orlando, as he is the only Democratic presidential candidate so far to publicly campaign in the city that, in past years, has been used to heavy presidential campaign traffic as the center of the politically-valuable I-4 corridor. Buttigieg came in August and gave a speech at Orlando’s Plaza Live theater.

Florida’s primary is March 17.

“We’re excited to have earned the endorsement of the Orlando Sentinel. Pete Buttigieg’s message of turning the page on the divisiveness of Washington and his unifying vision for the future is resonating with voters across the country especially here in Orlando,” said Buttigieg’s deputy national press secretary Marisol Samayoa. “Pete’s message of belonging has inspired a grassroots-led campaign. That is why our campaign has statewide coverage with volunteer leaders in every congressional district, including over 150 active volunteers in Orlando who are energized by Pete’s vision for the future and are eager to share it with others.”

The Sentinel’s is the fourth major newspaper endorsement Buttigieg has received, following the San Diego Union-Tribune, The State in Columbia, South Carolina, and the El Paso Times in Texas.

The Sentinel’s editorial almost made it sound as if Buttigieg won the endorsement by default, as all the other major candidates — Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Mike Bloomberg, and Elizabeth Warren — have major flaws in the newspaper’s view.

“All that said, we would take any of them over Donald Trump, the most destructive, corrosive, loathsome force American politics has seen in generations,” the Sentinel declared.

“America needs a fresh start with a fresh face on the scene. Democrats have that opportunity with Pete Buttigieg, if only they’ll take it,” the paper concluded.