John Kasich is in second place in averages of New Hampshire polls. | AP Photo Boston Globe endorses John Kasich

The Boston Globe endorsed Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Monday.

"His success in that important swing state, and his record as a moderate conservative who is willing to compromise in pursuit of results, suggests he is the Republican hopeful most likely to be successful on the national stage," the endorsement by the Globe's left-leaning editorial page said.


The endorsement is a much-needed boost for Kasich as he dukes it out with establishment aligned 2016 GOP candidates like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Florida governor Jeb Bush, both of whom are hoping to do well in the upcoming Feb. 9 primary in New Hampshire, where the Globe is widely read.

Kasich is in second place in averages of New Hampshire polls, well behind Donald Trump, whose brash campaign style the Globe rebuked.

"By voting for Kasich, New Hampshire can reward a candidate whose politics have been largely positive — and rebuke those candidates who have spent their campaign appealing to voters’ fears and biases," the endorsement continued.

But the Globe also said Kasich had a mixed record as governor of Ohio.

"He picked an unproductive fight with the state’s labor unions, which ended in political humiliation for the governor, but backed body cameras on police. He snubbed the Obama administration’s offer of $400 million for high-speed rail service between Cleveland and Cincinnati, but broke with virtually every other Republican by accepting the expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare," the endorsement continued. "That decision, in particular, showed considerable independence: Scorched-earth opposition to Obamacare has been a litmus test for many conservatives. He’s also departed from Republican orthodoxy by resisting calls to require photo identification to vote, a measure that disproportionately affects minority and low-income voters."

Also on Monday, the Globe's smaller, more conservative rival, the Boston Herald, endorsed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

The Globe endorsed former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman in the 2012 Republican presidential primary.