We endorse Kamala Harris for president.

Was there ever any doubt?

In a year filled with twists and turns in one of the most chaotic election cycles we’ve ever experienced, Harris emerges as a breath of fresh air.

For many Democrats, Joe Biden’s health concerns were a constant source of anxiety. His performance during key moments, particularly that disastrous debate in June, only heightened the distractions.

We applaud his decision to step aside and fulfill his promise to be a transitional leader — a bridge to the future.

Harris is the other side of that bridge.

She embodies that transition, combining the experience, vision, and leadership needed to navigate the future.

Her mental capacity and health are not in question, providing stability and confidence for voters. Unlike Donald Trump, whose mental capacity has often been questioned as his off-script rants during rallies grow more erratic. 

We don’t want Harris to be a continuation of Biden. She should forge her own path and way forward. 

Since stepping into her role of presidential candidate, she has done so with grace, showing the discipline we should expect from our leaders. 

Presidential elections are binary choices, and in this one, there is no contest between the two of them when it comes to LGBTQ rights.

In this election, one candidate’s policies are grounded in compassion and empathy, while the other’s promote division and hate.

LGBTQ Republicans may point to token gestures, such as the appointment of a gay cabinet member, but these symbolic moves don’t compensate for the systemic harm his administration inflicted on our community.

Trump has consistently targeted our transgender siblings with hatred and disinformation during this election cycle — on the debate stage, at rallies, and in interviews. As president, he and his allies will attempt to roll back those rights.

We are an LGBTQ newspaper, and our endorsement is grounded in candidates’ records on queer rights, their promises to our community, and their determination to deliver for us.

Comparing and contrasting Harris with Trump on this issue is straightforward. Trump had four years to deliver for the queer community — he failed. 

This contest isn’t just an election between two candidates — it’s between two visions as well. Harris’ vision for America is one of inclusivity and progress, while Trump’s is focused on revenge and the scapegoating of marginalized groups. 

America is at its best — it’s greatest — when we are united. Trump’s goal is to further divide us. Harris will attempt to unite us and heal our wounds. She may fail at that — Biden certainly did. 

But isn’t it better to choose a candidate based on our collective hope for the future, versus who is stuck in the past and has no interest in bringing us together? 

Despite looking for ways to broaden his appeal and expand his base after losing the 2020 election, Trump chose a different path. 

He could have selected a consensus or mainstream candidate for vice president in the current election cycle, but instead, he has doubled down on his base. This includes openly pandering to Christian nationalists, as evidenced by his remarks to a group of evangelical broadcasters, where he vowed to root out “anti-Christian bias” and protect “pro-God context and content.” 

A recent study found nearly 3 in 10 Americans are adherents or sympathizers of Christian nationalism, which also showed “support for Christian nationalism is strongly correlated with voting for [...] Trump.”

Meanwhile, Harris has attempted to enlarge her tent of supporters, which now include politicians like Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Dick Cheney. 

This broad support signals her ability to unite diverse factions within the political spectrum, in contrast to Trump’s approach of division and subtraction.  

But the consequences of Trump's leadership extend beyond the political divide. His most lasting imprint on this nation is his reshaping of the Supreme Court — a legacy that will last at least a generation. If he’s elected, he could potentially get a fourth or even fifth pick. 

This radical court has already stripped away reproductive rights from tens of millions of people. And let us be clear: reproductive freedom, reproductive rights, are queer rights. 

That’s precisely why a second Trump term is so dangerous: his ultra-conservative agenda could fundamentally reshape America. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas have repeatedly signaled their willingness to reconsider landmark cases on marriage equality, as well as their openness to the fetal personhood movement, which seeks to define a fetus as a human being. 

For decades, the LGBTQ community has relied on the courts for justice and equality. Now, those hard-won rights are at risk. 

Abortion has been given back to the states for now. Do we want to live in a country where our fundamental rights depend on geography?

Trump had three picks for the Supreme Court. It’s been over 100 years since a one-term president influenced the court to this extent. 

This is his legacy, and he must be held accountable for it. 

He has tried to moderate his stance on abortion, but also celebrates and boasts about the overturning of Roe v. Wade. These positions are incompatible — he created this nightmare for millions of women, which includes queer people. 

Even before Roe was overturned, Florida passed a 15-week ban on abortion. Once Roe was overturned, Florida quickly passed a six-week ban.

A particularly chilling example of Trump's potential second term agenda comes in the form of “Project 2025,” a 900-page manifesto outlining a dystopian future that would expand presidential power and impose an ultra-conservative social mandate on America.

Trump may try to distance himself from it, but if he wins, we know what his allies want and will push for. We know who he will surround himself with.

We reject Project 2025. We reject Donald Trump. 

We cannot afford a future led by fear and hate. We stand with Kamala Harris for a fairer, more just, and more equal America — one that protects our freedoms and upholds the rights of all people.