Do Endorsements Influence Elections?

As a policy, Patch does not endorse candidates in elections. But we back any effort to explore all sides of a race or ballot initiative. We have a standing invitation to all incumbents and office-seekers to blog on Patch—giving them direct, unfiltered access to their communities.

But it’s traditional for newspapers to endorse candidates for local, state and national office. Locally, the Daily Breeze recently endorsed Nathan Mintz for the 66th Assembly District, calling him "the best of the bunch," which also includes Craig Huey and Al Muratsuchi.

Other papers in the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, of which the Breeze is a member, have endorsed candidates in several Congressional districts and the Los Angeles County District Attorney race this year.

In light of media fracturing—with many sources of news and opinion available—do newspaper endorsements still carry any weight? Do people take cues from the local metro daily or the free weeklies, or are these efforts now meaningless?