The Fixs 2015 list of best state political reporters - The Washington...

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The Fix

The Fixs 2015 list of best state

political reporters
By Chris Cillizza January 27 at 8:00 AM

The most under-appreciated reporters in the political world are the scribes covering state and
local politics. They rarely get the attention of their colleagues at the national level but are often
covering the very politicians and national trends that come to impact the broad political
landscape.
Every two years (or so), I like to honor these reporters with a look at the best of the best from
each of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia. The list below was built almost entirely on
recommendations from the Fix community -- here on the blog, on Twitter at #fixreporters and
on Facebook. A few of my personal favorites are included as well.
Special shout-outs to longtime stalwarts of our best state political reporters list including Jim
Galloway in Georgia, Jon Ralston in Nevada, Adam Smith in Florida and Lynn Bartels in
Colorado -- to name a few. And special recognition to two younger reporters -- Jason Noble of
the Des Moines Register and Daniel Malloy of the Atlanta Journal Constitution -- who were
recommended by lots of people not only in their states but outside of them as well.
The best named reporter on this list, without question, Davey Joe Montgomery, formerly of the
Ft. Worth Star-Telegram and now a stringer for the New York Times. And, Davey Joe is also the
only person on the list who isn't on Twitter (or at least I couldn't find a Twitter handle for.)
If there's a great reporter NOT mentioned below -- and I am certain that's the case -- put his or
her name (and Twitter handle) in the comments section or send me an email at
chris.cillizza@washpost.com. This is an organic list -- it's designed to grow and change. Enjoy!

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The Fixs 2015 list of best state political reporters - The Washington...

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Alabama
Bill Britt, Alabama Political Reporter

Alaska
Becky Bohrer, AP
Matt Buxton, Fairbanks Daily News Miner
Alexandra Gutierrez, Alaska Public Radio
Nat Hertz, Alaska Dispatch News

Arizona
Jeremy Duda, Arizona Capitol Times
Ben Giles, Arizona Capitol Times
Brahm Resnik, NBC 12News

Arkansas
Roby Brock, Talk Business and Politics
Andrew DeMillo, AP
Claudia Lauer, Democrat-Gazette
David Ramsey, Arkansas Times
Mike Wickline, Democrat-Gazette
Spencer Willems, Democrat-Gazette

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California
Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle
Carla Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle
Seema Mehta, LA Times
Josh Richman, Bay Area News Group
David Siders, Sacramento Bee
George Skelton, LA Times
Doug Sovern, KCBS

Colorado
Charles Ashby, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
Advertisement

Lynn Bartels, Denver Post

Sandra Fish
Corey Hutchins, State Integrity
Peter Marcus, Durango Herald
Nick Riccardi, AP

Connecticut
Daniela Altimari, Hartford Courant

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Chris Keating, Hartford Courant

Kevin Rennie, Daily Ructions
Christine Stuart, CTNewsJunkie

Delaware
Jonathan Starkey, Wilmington News Journal

District of Columbia
Mike DeBonis, Washington Post

Florida
Marc Caputo, Miami Herald (and soon-to-be Politico)
Adam Smith, Tampa Bay Times

Georgia
Greg Bluestein, Atlanta Journal Constitution
Jim Galloway, AJC
Lori Geary, WSB
Daniel Malloy, AJC

Hawaii
Chad Blair, Civil Beat
Gordon Y.K. Pang, Star-Advertiser
Andrew Pereira, KITV
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Idaho
Melissa Davlin, Idaho Reports
Kevin Richert, Idaho Education News
Jessica Robinson, NPR Northwest
Betsy Russell, Statesman

Illinois
Rich Miller, Capitol Fax
Ric Pearson, Chicago Tribune
Amanda Vinicky, Illinois Public Radio

Indiana
Ed Feigenbaum, Indiana Legislative Insight
Katie Heinz, RTV6
Brian Howey, Howey Politics Indiana
Tom LoBianco, Indianapolis Star

Iowa
Todd Dorman, Cedar Rapids Gazette
Kay Henderson, Radio Iowa
Jennifer Jacobs, Des Moines Register
James Lynch, Cedar Rapids Gazette
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The Fixs 2015 list of best state political reporters - The Washington...

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Jason Noble, Des Moines Register

William Petroski, Des Moines Register
Dave Price, WHOHD

Kansas
Peter Hancock, Lawrence Journal World

Kentucky
Sam Youngman, Courier Journal

Louisiana
Elizabeth Crisp, The Advocate
Melinda Deslatte, AP

Maine
Chris Cousins, Bangor Daily News
Steve Mistler, Portland Press Herald
Mario Moretto, Bangor Daily News

Maryland
Jenna Johnson, Washington Post
Len Lazarick, Maryland Reporter
John Wagner, Washington Post

Massachusetts
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Jon Keller, WBZ

Michigan
Rick Albin, WOOD
Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press
Zach Gorchow, Gongwer News Service
Kathy Gray, Detroit Free Press
Chad Livengood, Detroit News
Jonathan Oosting, Mlive
Rick Pluta, Michigan Radio

Mississippi
Geoff Pender, Clarion Ledger
Emily Wagster Pettus, AP
Sid Salter, Clarion-Ledger

Missouri
David Lieb, AP
Eli Yokley, PoliticoMo
Virginia Young, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Montana
John S. Adams, Great Falls Tribune
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Minnesota
Brian Bakst, AP
Briana Bierschbach, Politics in Minnesota
Patrick Condon, Star Tribune
Tom Hauser, KSTP
Pat Kessler, WCCO
Mary Lahammer, Twin Cities Public Television

Montana
Lisa Baumann, AP
Mike Dennison, Lee Newspapers
Chuck Johnson, Lee Newspapers
Advertisement

Nebraska
Joseph Morton, Omaha World-Herald
Robynn Tysver, Omaha World-Herald

New Hampshire
Josh McElveen, WMUR
James Pindell, Boston Globe

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New Jersey
Mark Bonamo, PolitickerNJ
Melissa Hayes, Bergen Record
Dave Levinsky, Burlington County Times
John Reitmeyer, North Jersey Media Group

New Mexico
Steve Terrell, Sante Fe New Mexican

New York
Liz Benjamin, Capital Tonight
Susanne Craig, New York Times
Fred Dicker, New York Post

North Carolina
Mark Binker, WRAL
Pat Gannon, The Insider
Laura Leslie, WRAL
Gary Robertson, AP

North Dakota
Mike Nowatzki, Fargo Forum
Nick Smith, Bismarck Tribune
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Ohio
Jackie Borchardt, Cleveland Plain-Dealer
Henry Gomez, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Mark Kovac, Youngstown Vindicator
Jeremy Pelzer, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Jim Siegel, Columbus Dispatch
Chrissie Thompson, Cincinnati Enquirer

Oklahoma
Chris Casteel, Oklahoman
Sean Murphy, AP

Oregon
Nigel Jaquiss, Williamette Weekly
Jeff Mapes, Oregonian
Peter Wong, Portland Tribune

Rhode Island
Ian Donnis, Rhode Island Public Radio
Scott MacKay, Rhode Island Public Radio
Ted Nesi, WPRI

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Pennsylvania
Steve Esack, Morning Call
Tom Fitzgerald, Philadelphia Inquirer
Karen Langley, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Marc Levy, AP
Tracie Mauriello, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
John Micek, Patriot Ledger
Laura Olson, Morning Call
James O'Toole, Pittsburgh Post-Gazett
Jonathan Tamari, Philadelphia Inquirer
Salena Zito, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

South Carolina
Andy Shain, The State
Cassie Cope, The State
Schuyler Kropf, Charleston Post and Courier

South Dakota
Jonathan Ellis, Argus Leader
Kevin Woster, KELO

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Tennessee
Erik Schelzig, AP
Chas Sisk, WPLN/Nashville Public Radio
Andrea Zelinski, Nashville Scene/Nashville Post

Texas
Aman Batheja, Texas Tribune
Peggy Fikac, San Antonio Express-News
Bob Garrett, Dallas Morning News
Gromer Jeffers, Dallas Morning News
Abby Livingston, Texas Tribune
Davey Joe Montgomery, New York Times
Jay Root, Texas Tribune
Brian Rosenthal, Houston Chronicle
Theodore Schleifer, Houston Chronicle
Patrick Svitek, Houston Chronicle
Mike Ward, Houston Chronicle

Utah
Robert Gehrke, Salt Lake Tribune

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Lisa Riley Roche, Deseret News

Vermont
April Burbank, Burlington Free Press
Mike Donoghue, Burlington Free Press
Paul Heintz, Seven Days
Kyle Midura, WCAX
Advertisement

Virginia
Jeff Shapiro, Richmond Times-Dispatch
Laura Vozzella, Washington Post
Rachel Weiner, Washington Post

Washington
Jim Brunner, Seattle Times
Austin Jenkins, nwNewsNetwork
Rachel La Corte, AP

West Virginia
Whitney Burdette, Daily Mail
Eric Eyre, Gazette
Phil Kabler, Gazette
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Wisconsin
Jessica Arp, WISC-TV
Jessie Opoien, Capital Times

Wyoming
Trevor Brown, Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Chris Cillizza writes The Fix, a politics blog for the Washington Post. He also covers the White
House.

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