LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Kentucky's second-largest newspaper has endorsed President Barack Obama for a second term.

The Lexington Herald-Leader published the endorsement in its Sunday editions, saying Obama has provided steady leadership.

The newspaper also said without the estimated $7 billion in aid and tax cuts to Kentucky through Obama's stimulus package, unemployment and what it termed "human suffering" would be worse.

The paper said Obama has made strong decisions regarding foreign policy, and that he has been used as a scapegoat for market forces that are causing less demand for coal and coal miners.

Obama is an unpopular political figure in Kentucky, and fared poorly in the state in 2008. And in this year's May primary, 42 percent of Democrats marked their presidential ballots "uncommitted" even though Obama was the only Democrat in the race.