<P> In December 2016, The Post published a story inaccurately stating that a Russian hacking operation had infiltrated the U.S. electrical grid; the claim was retracted in a revised version of the story, after the initial version had been widely circulated . </P> <P> In February 2017, amid a barrage of criticism from President Donald Trump over the paper's coverage of his campaign and early presidency as well as concerns among the American press about Trump's criticism and threats against journalists who provide coverage he deems unfavorable, the Post adopted the slogan "Democracy Dies in Darkness". </P> <P> Katharine Graham wrote in her autobiography Personal History that the newspaper long had a policy of not making endorsements for political candidates . However, since at least 2000, the newspaper has occasionally endorsed Republican politicians, such as Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich . In 2006, it repeated its historic endorsements of every Republican incumbent for Congress in Northern Virginia . There have also been times when the Post has specifically chosen not to endorse any candidate, such as in the 1988 presidential election when it refused to endorse then - Governor Michael Dukakis or then - Vice President George H.W. Bush . On October 17, 2008, the Post endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States . On October 25, 2012, the newspaper endorsed the re-election of Barack Obama . On October 21, 2014, the newspaper endorsed 44 Democratic candidates versus 3 Republican candidates for the 2014 elections in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia . On October 13, 2016, it endorsed Hillary Clinton for the presidential election of that year . </P> <P> The Post's early endorsements in the 1978 elections for Maryland Governor (reformist Harry Hughes) and for D.C. Mayor (a young Marion Barry) allowed those candidates to tout their endorsements, thereby distinguishing them from an otherwise crowded field of big name candidates . </P>

Has the washington post ever endorsed a republican