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Articles by

Barbara Rodriguez

State Politics and Voting Reporter

I’m Barbara Rodriguez, The 19th’s state politics and voting reporter. I’ve covered politics for several years, first as a statehouse reporter for The Associated Press and then as a politics reporter for The Des Moines Register. In 2019, I was assigned to cover the presidential campaigns of then-California Sen. Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg, then mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Immediately after the 2020 Iowa caucuses, I jumped into the health care beat, where a global virus was beginning to appear in Iowa and beyond.

I joined The 19th a few months later in 2020 to cover statehouses, a role that allowed me to write about the women and queer people making policy outside of the halls of Congress. In 2022, I switched to writing about voting, with an eye still on state-level politics. My background as a generalist reporter allows me to jump into reporting on anything as needed in our newsroom.

I’m interested in writing about the barriers that people face in accessing the ballot, and what it says about true representative democracy. I’m always on the lookout for people-centered stories to highlight policy debates.

My work is free to consume and free to republish because of contributions from readers like you. A donation of $19 goes a long way toward sustaining our nonprofit newsroom.

Latest from Barbara Rodriguez

Arizona’s statehouse lifted COVID precautions. Two lawmakers worry about what it means for their family.

They’re navigating decisions familiar to many parents with children too young to be vaccinated, worrying about risk as guidance on how to deal with the pandemic changes.

Barbara Rodriguez · March 17, 2022
‘We are being hunted’: One year after Atlanta spa shootings, Asian Americans are more scared now than ever

Reports of anti-AAPI incidents are on the rise — and advocates are urging policymakers to do more to help.

Mariel Padilla, Barbara Rodriguez · March 16, 2022
Abortion providers' main legal challenge to Texas’ six-week abortion ban is effectively over

Friday’s decision by the Texas Supreme Court could signal that similar abortion bans are likely to stay enforced and successfully survive legal challenges.

Shefali Luthra, Barbara Rodriguez · March 11, 2022
2022 elections are important, women say — but a poll suggests they may be too overwhelmed to prioritize politics

Finances are the leading concern for women, many of whom say they think life will never go back to the pre-pandemic ‘normal.’

Barbara Rodriguez · March 9, 2022
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and the power of Republican women as party messengers

As one of only three Republican women governors in the country, Kim Reynolds could prove beneficial to a party trying to appeal to suburban White women.

Barbara Rodriguez · March 1, 2022
Women have been sounding the alarm ahead of Texas’ first-in-the-nation primary

Elected officials, volunteers and advocates have raised concerns about confusion over new mail voting rules and the reversal of practices that made it easier for many women and people with caregiving responsibilities to cast a ballot.

Barbara Rodriguez · February 28, 2022
‘The bench is loaded’: A record number of Latinas are running for governor

At least a thousand men have been governor of a U.S. state; just 45 women have, and only two of them Latinas. This year, their presence on primary ballots is making a difference.

Barbara Rodriguez · February 11, 2022
Where do the Olympic Games stand in terms of gender equality?

For a decade, Michele Donnelly has looked beyond basic numbers to understand the scope of inequality between men and women’s sporting events at the Olympic Games.

Barbara Rodriguez · February 10, 2022
Should the ERA be in effect? On a key anniversary, it depends who you ask.

Democrats in Congress are pushing for its recognition, but the inclusion of the Equal Rights Amendment is caught up in complex questions of how, exactly, an amendment is added to the Constitution.

Barbara Rodriguez · January 27, 2022
Pumping, voting, taking leave: Legislators who are mothers face specific challenges

The nonprofit group Vote Mama Foundation is trying to collect comprehensive data about a unique subset of lawmakers.

Barbara Rodriguez · January 25, 2022

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Articles by

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