Author
Barbara Rodriguez
Barbara Rodriguez is our statehouses reporter. She most recently worked at the Des Moines Register, where she covered health care, politics and state government. Before that, Barbara was the Iowa statehouse reporter for The Associated Press, where she worked for a decade.
The Latest
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The country needs poll workers. Young women are stepping up
As the pandemic keeps older poll workers from volunteering, younger women continue a legacy of being on the front lines of elections.
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Competitive Senate races get a massive money boost from Democratic women
Out-of-state money is pouring in from Democrats looking to flip the Senate. But on the ground in Iowa, where Democrat Theresa Greenfield is challenging Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, it’s still about soybeans and corn.
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Democrats call statehouse races ‘the last line of defense’ for abortion rights
Ahead of Amy Coney Barrett’s likely confirmation to the Supreme Court, Democrats and abortion rights groups are now turning their attention down-ballot.
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The 19th Explains: Everything you need to know about voting and Election Day 2020
Experts and state officials say to prepare for the reality that the country may not know who won the presidency on Election Day — or for several days (or weeks) after.
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Black women legislators are rare in statehouses. This could be the solution.
Statehouses are predominantly White and male-led. One PAC in Washington state wants to change that — and be the model for other legislatures.
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Ginsburg’s death galvanizes liberal women across U.S. voting in key Senate races
“It’s going to bring people out of the woodwork,” said one Maine statehouse candidate as women opened their wallets.
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Trump says his Supreme Court court pick will be a woman
The president made the commitment one day after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, leaving a vacancy on the court.
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In historic year for trans candidates, Sarah McBride poised to become the nation’s first openly transgender state senator
The Delaware candidate’s win caps off a primary season with several trans people set to break barriers in statehouse seats around the country.
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This state auditor is leading a national effort to improve COVID-19 data tracking
Kathy McGuiness, Delaware’s first woman state auditor, has launched a multi-state initiative to collect better data about the coronavirus pandemic. Will it work? She sees no downside in trying.
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Lawmaker who brought her newborn to the California statehouse joins other elected women challenging outdated notions around parenthood
Weeks after Buffy Wicks gave birth to her daughter, the lawmaker was denied a request to stay home and have someone vote at the state Capitol on her behalf. There are lessons for other legislative bodies to do better, warn women in elected office.