"The case for a Clinton presidency could easily be made even if the GOP nominee wasn’t Donald Trump," the Des Moines Register editorial board wrote. | Getty Des Moines Register endorses Clinton

The Des Moines Register on Saturday endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, writing that the Democratic nominee "has fended off an unrelenting barrage of politically motivated attacks while fighting for social justice" for almost 40 years.

"For those who believe America should be a beacon of a hope in a world ravaged by terrorism, that it should be a force for good and that its leaders should embody all that is best about this nation, there is only one choice for president: Hillary Clinton," the editorial board of Iowa's leading newspaper wrote.


The board cited Clinton's work with the Children’s Defense Fund, where she advocated for disadvantaged youth and children incarcerated in adult prisons, and her work as first lady getting eight million children in low-income families access to medical care through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

In addition, the board cited Clinton's work as a New York senator, where she worked with Republicans on providing health care for 9/11 first-responders and for members of the National Guard.

"The case for a Clinton presidency could easily be made even if the GOP nominee wasn’t Donald Trump, a man who has never held public office, never worked in the public sector, has no experience in foreign relations, and has relatively few political allies even within his own party," the board wrote.

Clinton was named the winner in Iowa during the first-in-the-nation caucuses in February. The Register endorsed Clinton as the Democratic nominee during the Iowa caucuses, and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as the Republican nominee.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz won the Iowa caucuses, with Trump coming in second.

The paper has had a rocky relationship with GOP nominee Donald Trump.

This past summer, the Register was denied press credentials after an editorial was published calling on Trump to drop out of the presidential race.

In the endorsement, the board writes that Trump could combat his lack of experience by surrounding himself with experts and highly qualified individuals for his cabinet.

"But Trump’s defining characteristic is his distaste for dissent," according to the Register. "It’s inconceivable that a Trump cabinet would be anything more than a coterie of like-minded hand puppets."

Currently, Trump is leading 42.8 to Clinton's 38.8 in the Midwestern state, according to POLITICO Battleground States polling average.

"On Election Day, all of us share the privilege and responsibility of protecting the principles on which this country was founded and for which so many others have died: justice, liberty, equality and opportunity for all," the board wrote. "In this particular election, only one of the two major-party candidates stands prepared to honor America and uphold its highest ideals."