We’re almost at the end of what has been a long year.  It’s almost overwhelming to sit back and take stock of it all. 

We came into 2024 knowing it was going to be a big year for The 19th’s journalism. We, of course, couldn’t predict all of the twists and turns this election took but we knew our work would be most useful to our audiences if we continued to explore how gender and race dynamics shape up our politics. 

During what felt like the longest election season ever, we made sure to center our storytelling on marginalized communities who would have major influence come Election Day. 

In the lead up to November 5, we tracked the outcomes of critical abortion measures, interviewed candidates up and down the ballot and zeroed in on key voting rights themes.

When shots rang out during a rally for President-elect Donald Trump on July 13, we spoke with women who have been targets of political violence, reported on the women serving in the Secret Service and covered the surge of misogyny and conspiracy theories that proliferated after the attempted assassination.

Eight days later, when President Joe Biden announced he was withdrawing from the presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, we wrote about how Harris’ candidacy could supercharge Democrats’ message on abortion and spoke with the Democratic women running for Senate who were “focused and united” behind her.

Editor-at-large Errin Haines wrote about that historic moment and, before Harris’ VP was chosen, explored what it could mean if America had the option of a two-woman ticket. 

And at the Republican and Democratic national conventions, our storylines stood out from the pack. 

At the RNC in Milwaukee, we covered JD Vance’s vision for America’s families, how prominent Republicans verbally attacked trans people and how abortion got the silent treatment. 

And a few weeks later at the DNC in Chicago, we wrote about abortion being front and center, talked to Hillary Clinton about women being underestimated and reported on how masculinity was portrayed at the two conventions.

This year, we also expanded our politics reporting by turning Errin’s Amendment newsletter into a podcast, in partnership with Wonder Media Network. 

With a second Trump administration on its way, we have our work cut out for us — and we’re ready. You can count on us to continue reporting on the information you need to best navigate what’s to come in 2025.

And if you want to see what I’m predicting for next year, here’s a small glimpse via Nieman Lab’s annual predictions for journalism. 

Julia B. Chan

Editor in chief, The 19th