Arizona Republic presidential endorsements: 120 years, no DemocratsThe Arizona Republic never endorsed a Democrat for president from 1892 to 2012. Here's who the newspaper supported in general-election contests and why: (Research courtesy of author Bob Nelson and state historian Jack August)Photo Illustration By The Republic2012: MITT ROMNEY. "The nation's best opportunity to escape the compounding woes of spiraling debt and economic stagnation lies with a president who believes in the free market's capacity to heal its own wounds," our editorial argued.Photo By Detroit Free Press2008: JOHN MCCAIN. The editorial board was proud to endorse the Arizona senator, writing, "Nobody in the country knows the Republican presidential candidate better than we (in Arizona) do."Photo By Mark Wilson/Getty Images2004: GEORGE W. BUSH. Does history repeat itself? We wrote then: "Domestically, we would expect President Bush to commit to recapturing some semblance of unity in his own shockingly divided nation. Should he be re-elected, Bush may start with those Supreme Court nominees."Photo By Tom Tingle/The Republic2000: GEORGE W. BUSH. It was a nail-biter election that came down to a contentious recount in Florida, but in the end, the Republican made it to the White House. Bush won Arizona more comfortably.Photo By Mark Wilson/Getty Images1996: BOB DOLE. Our endorsement came with an admonition: "Whether you agree or not with our recommendations, the important thing is to exercise your right as a U.S. citizen and vote."Michael Schennum/The Republic1992: GEORGE BUSH. The Republic made a pitch for the president's second term. Bush won Arizona narrowly, by less than 3 percent of the vote.Photo By Barbara Reis/USA TODAY1988: GEORGE BUSH. Our case to voters: "Bush’s breadth of experience, his sober and moderate approach to the issues and his basic decency commend him to the voters. He should make a fine president."Photo By AFP/Getty Images1984: RONALD REAGAN. Giving the Great Communicator a second term was a no-brainer, and The Republic was firmly in his camp. Reagan beat Walter Mondale in a landslide, sweeping at least 48 states.Photo By J. Scott Applewhite, AP1980: RONALD REAGAN. "The low ebb at home and abroad in which the United States finds itself demands the qualities of leadership and decency that Ronald Reagan can bring to the White House," we wrote.Photo By Mike Sargent, AFP/Getty Images1976: GERALD FORD. The editors gave endorsements in 80 city, county, state and national races without comment. Of those, 24 were Democrats -- but not the president.Photo By David Hume Kennerly/AP1972: RICHARD NIXON. "The breath-taking vision offered by President Nixon is the creation of ‘a new majority,’" the board opined, "a combination of old-line Republicans and disenchanted Democrats."File Photo1968: NO ENDORSEMENT. The Republic didn't choose between Richard Nixon (left) and Hubert Humphrey, saying instead that "the Republicans and the Democrats have both nominated good candidates this year."Photo Illustration By The Republic1964: BARRY GOLDWATER. The front-page endorsement was rather tepid: "Down in your hearts you may know that Barry Goldwater has not always been right, but down in your hearts you also know that he has been right enough to deserve a vote of confidence from the citizens of his home state."File Photo1960: RICHARD NIXON. It was more of a case against his opponent: "We are opposed to Jack Kennedy because neither his public nor private life has provided him the training and experience to take over the guidance of this country ... "Photo By AP1956: DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER. "We like Ike, first of all, because he’s an all-American man among men. He is God-fearing, sincere, honest and courageous."File Photo1952: DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER. "In General Eisenhower’s case, the desire for change from Truman policies is the key. The voters want something done about the mess in Korea, and they don’t think Adlai Stevenson, with his acceptance of the Fair Deal status-quo attitude, can do it."Photo By AFP/Getty Images1948: THOMAS DEWEY. Harry Truman defeated him in a huge upset. Most analysts thought Dewey would win, including The Republic in its endorsement: "When Mr. Dewey accepted the Republican nomination, he said, ‘To me, to be a Republican in this hour is to dedicate one’s life to the freedom of men.’"Photo From Library Of Congress1944: THOMAS DEWEY. "... the election of Thomas E. Dewey would be a godsend to the United States. ... Mr. Roosevelt’s administration has been characterized by a complete inability to ‘play square’ with the American people."Library Of Congress1936: ALF LANDON. He lost the electoral vote 523 to 8, but the board couldn't support FDR, writing: "President Roosevelt’s campaign is one of evasion, mingled with a juggling of facts and figures, and decorated with meaningless phrasing."Photo By Larry Cox1932: HERBERT HOOVER. In the depths of the Great Depression, Hoover promised to stay the course. The paper argued that would be better than opponent Roosevelt's vague promises to change the status quo.File Photo1928: HERBERT HOOVER. The publisher argued that Hoover would continue the fight against lawlessness and immorality with stronger law enforcement and a continued prohibition.Photo From National Archives1924: CALVIN COOLIDGE. The GOP candidate narrowly won the state; meanwhile, Republican publisher Dwight Heard narrowly lost to Democrat George Hunt in the race for governor.Photo From National Archives1920: WARREN HARDING. After the paper's favored GOP candidate, Gen. Leonard Wood, lost at the national convention, it gave its tepid support to Harding, noting "the country was so weary of democratic misrule (that it would turn to) the Republican Party under any leadership."Photo From Getty Images/iStockphoto1916: CHARLES EVANS HUGHES. The GOP nominated a moderate in hopes of pulling a split party together, but it wasn't enough to defeat Woodrow Wilson. Noted the paper of Hughes: "... owing to the progressive leadership of the Republican Party ... we shall very generally support Republican candidates."Photo By Getty Images/iStockphotoTHEODORE ROOSEVELTFile Photo1908: WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT. The paper officially endorsed Taft, writing "The Republican Party of the nation was never so rich in presidential material, both fit and available, as when yesterday it made the selection of Taft."Photo From Library Of Congress1904: THEODORE ROOSEVELT. The paper never called it an endorsement, but it wrote glowingly multiple times about Roosevelt and his campaign.Photo From Getty Images1900: WILLIAM MCKINLEY. Snicker at the paper's humor: "It has not been an unusual circumstance recently where important business contracts ... contain this clause: ‘This contract to be null and void in case of the election of William Jennings Bryan as president of the United States.’"Photo By Photos.com/Getty Images1896: WILLIAM MCKINLEY. William Jennings Bryan was a Populist who defended the common man; McKinley had moneyed interests on his side. Bryan lost, but the party's ideas later manifested themselves among the Progressives that this paper came to support.Photo By Photos.com, Getty Images1892: BENJAMIN HARRISON. Two years after the Arizona Republican -- which was later renamed the Arizona Republic -- was founded, it published a list of endorsements but offered no explanation for them.Photo From Library Of Congress