Conservative New Hampshire paper backs Biden -- its first Democratic endorsement in 100 years

New York(CNN Business) The New Hampshire Union Leader, a conservative-leaning newspaper, has endorsed Democratic candidate Joe Biden for president, despite its century-long history of backing Republicans. In backing Biden, the newspaper endorsed its first Democratic candidate in over 100 years.

"Building this country up sits squarely within the skill set of Joseph Biden. We have found Mr. Biden to be a caring, compassionate and professional public servant," the Union Leader editorial board wrote on Sunday. "He has repeatedly expressed his desire to be a president for all of America, and we take him at his word."

The paper's editorial board did however highlight what it calls "significant" policy disagreements with Biden, which the board says it expects to spend a "portion of the next four years disagreeing with."

"Joe Biden may not be the president we want, but in 2020 he is the president we desperately need," the editorial continued. "He will be a president to bring people together and right the ship of state."

Despite the board's policy disagreements with Biden, it wasn't enough to endorse President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to visit New Hampshire on Sunday. The newspaper's board wrote that Trump is "not always 100% wrong, but he is 100% wrong for America."

In 2016, the paper's editorial board broke its 100-year tradition of backing Republicans with its endorsement of Libertarian Gary Johnson instead of President Donald Trump. Just a year before, Trump called the paper's publisher, Joseph McQuaid, a "lowlife" and "bad guy" after he lost the paper's coveted endorsement to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in the GOP primary.

"Sadly, President Trump has proven himself to be the antithesis of thoughtful and pragmatic; he has failed to earn a second term," the editorial board concluded.