An Arizona newspaper that endorsed Hillary Clinton for president — the first Democrat for president it's ever endorsed — is receiving death threats for its decision.
The Arizona Republic's editorial board ran a story on Tuesday that showed the paper will back Clinton. The public outcry since then has been brutal.
"Well it's been crazy around here," Phil Boas, the director of the paper's editorial page, told 12News. "We're getting a lot of reaction both locally and national. I don't believe true readers of the editorial page are surprised by this at all, because over the past year we have been writing scathing, scalding articles about Donald Trump.
"The things he has done, making fun of disabled people and rolling back press freedoms. You know a guy who would do that and crush our freedoms in one area will do it in others as well."
Readers have canceled their subscriptions over the editorial board's stance as well.
Boas told the news station the decision to endorse Clinton had more to do with Trump than Clinton.
"This might have been a different decision if Republicans had elected Marco Rubio or Jeb Bush, responsible Republican men," he said. "You really only have two choices that are viable. The Republican and the Democrat and both of them have tremendous flaws.
"I mean we are very concerned about what Hillary Clinton did with her emails. That shows recklessness and that gives us concern, but it is nothing compared to the sins of Donald Trump."
The Arizona Republic is not alone in breaking tradition to endorse the Democrat in the race for this presidential election. Last week, the Cincinnati Enquirer endorsed Clinton as well, ending an almost 100-year streak of supporting the Republican presidential candidate.
The New York Times reported this week that newspapers that have endorsed Clinton are being met with a flood of subscription cancellations.