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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What Tishaura Jones' mayoral win says about the political power of Black women
Tishaura Jones became the latest with a Tuesday win to become the first Black woman mayor of St. Louis.
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‘This is the first litmus test’: Andrea Young of the ACLU of Georgia on corporations and voting rights
The civil rights group's executive director talks to The 19th about holding corporations accountable for political donations, the importance of women activists and Atlanta.
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In Michigan, women hold power. Not everyone seems comfortable with that.
Republican officials have faced criticism for making sexist remarks about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. But a culture of misogyny has existed for years, according to former and current state lawmakers.
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Iowa Democrat withdraws challenge to congressional election results
Rita Hart had asked Congress to review the results of a six-vote loss against Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks. The race was on the brink of becoming a flashpoint in the national debate over election integrity.
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Why is it so hard to make laws to stop workplace harassment?
Advocates say case-by-case court rulings have further muddled the legal protections, but state legislative efforts have faced some resistance.
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Law enforcement officers keep arresting Black women elected officials
The imagery of Georgia Rep. Park Cannon being dragged away this week at the state Capitol follows several arrests in recent years involving elected Black women. Black women on the receiving end say it’s an effort to silence their growing political power.
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Georgia troopers arrest Black woman lawmaker during protest of new voting law
Video that circulated on social media showed several state troopers at the Georgia Capitol escorting Rep. Park Cannon away.
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‘Immediate relief is really critical’: Isabella Guzman on her new role as head of the Small Business Administration
Guzman is leading a department that will shepherd an influx of federal cash to help businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. She says she wants to prioritize women and people of color.
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‘A disservice to the policymaking’: Most interns in Congress are White, report finds
Rep. Ayanna Pressley says a congressional internship “changed the trajectory” of her life, and she and other advocates say a lack of intern diversity causes pipeline problems.
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Black women are still underrepresented in America’s statehouses, new report shows
Georgia has the most Black women in its legislature, at 39, but in many states representation still lags.