The Des Moines Register endorses Mitt Romney, First Republican endorsement since 1972

The Register endorsement: Mitt Romney offers a fresh economic vision | The Des Moines Register

Ten months ago this newspaper endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination for president. An overarching consideration was which of the party’s candidates could we see occupying the White House, and there was no question that Romney was qualified for the job.

Now, in the closing days of the general election campaign, the question is which of the two contenders deserves to be the next president of the United States.

Both President Barack Obama and Governor Romney are superbly qualified. Both are graduates of the Harvard University Law School who have distinguished themselves in government, in public service and in private life. Both are devoted husbands and fathers.

Read More at  The Register endorsement: Mitt Romney offers a fresh economic vision | The Des Moines Register | desmoinesregister.com.

Here are the presidential candidates The Des Moines Register endorsed in each election in the past 100 years:

• 1912: William H. Taft (R) – lost

• 1916: Charles Hughes (R) – lost

• 1920: No endorsement

• 1924: No endorsement

• 1928: Herbert Hoover (R) – won

• 1932: Herbert Hoover (R) – lost

• 1936: Alf Landon (R) – lost

• 1940: Wendell Willkie (R) – lost

• 1944: Thomas E. Dewey (R) – lost

• 1948: Thomas E. Dewey (R) – lost

• 1952: Dwight Eisenhower (R) – won

• 1956: Dwight Eisenhower (R) – won

• 1960: Richard Nixon (R) – lost

• 1964: Lyndon B. Johnson (D) – won

• 1968: Hubert Humphrey (D) – lost

• 1972: Richard Nixon (R) – won

• 1976: Jimmy Carter (D) – won

• 1980: Jimmy Carter (D) – lost

• 1984: Walter Mondale (D) – lost

• 1988: Michael Dukakis (D) – lost

• 1992: Bill Clinton (D) – won

• 1996: Bill Clinton (D) – won

• 2000: Al Gore (D) – lost

• 2004: John Kerry (D) – lost

• 2008: Barack Obama (D) – won

2012: Mitt Romney

RELATED:
• How we decide: Here’s how the Register’s endorsement process works.
• From readers: More than 100 letters about the presidential candidates.
• 25 photos: Presidential candidates the Register has endorsed, 1912-2012