William Cummings

USA TODAY

The Arizona Republic is suffering some major blowback for its decision to back a Democrat over a Republican in a presidential campaign for the first time since its founding in 1890.

Since the paper published its endorsement of Hillary Clinton for president, it has faced a steady stream of subscription cancellations and even a death threat, according to a senior editor.

"Well, it's been crazy around here," said Phil Boas, who runs the paper's editorial page. "We're getting a lot of reaction both locally and national. I don't believe true readers of the editorial page are surprised by all this at all, because over the past year we have been writing scathing, scalding articles about Donald Trump."

"We're feeling the weight of our history," Boas told The New York Times of the paper's first endorsement of a Democratic Party candidate in 126 years.

"This year is different," the editorial says. "The 2016 Republican candidate is not conservative and he is not qualified. That’s why, for the first time in our history, The Arizona Republic will support a Democrat for president."

The paper cites Trump's "inability to control himself," his "long history of objectifying women" and his lack of presidential temperament as reasons for its inability to endorse him.

The Republic is not the first paper to break with a long tradition of endorsing Republican candidates because of Donald Trump. The Cincinnati Enquirer, which has "supported Republicans for president for almost a century," endorsed Clinton and called Trump a "clear and present danger to our country." The Cincinnati Enquirer and Arizona Republic are both owned by Gannett, which also owns USA TODAY.

'Arizona Republic' not the only paper breaking GOP streak to endorse Clinton

And The Dallas Morning News, which hadn't endorsed a Democrat since before World War II, said Trump "plays on fear — exploiting base instincts of xenophobia, racism and misogyny — to bring out the worst in all of us, rather than the best."

The Dallas Morning News has also suffered a loss of subscribers, news editor Mike Wilson told Poynter. "Certainly we've paid a price for our presidential recommendation, but then, we write our editorials based on principle and sometimes principle comes at a cost," he said.

Boas told the Times that the potential loss of customers never influenced the decision to back Clinton. "We know we're doing the right thing," he said. "We feel very good about this decision."

Endorsement: Hillary Clinton is the only choice to move America ahead