Do Newspaper endorsements really affect voters?

Congressman Jim Davis who until today had been shut out of the major newspaper editorial board endorsements received the recommendation from his hometown paper the Tampa Tribune. The endorsement from the Tribune read more like a thank you for Davis' record as a Congressman than a recommendation of his ability to serve as Governor.

The continued success of Rod Smith in front of the state papers editorial boards is a great credit to Senator Smith's knowledge of the issues that our state faces. Both Democratic candidates seem to be thoughtful and somewhat wonkish, but Smith clearly interviews better in a tough setting.

This having been said, I have yet to find a Governor's race that hinged primarily on the endorsements of newspapers. These editorials are read by a select few political insiders, the vast majority of whom have long ago chosen a horse to ride in this year's election. Smith will need a lot more than the endorsement of the state's editorial writers to come from behind and claim the Democratic nomination.