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Articles by

Barbara Rodriguez

Interim Health and Caregiving Reporter

I’m Barbara Rodriguez, The 19th’s interim health and caregiving 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

Election 2022 results: The governor’s races we’re watching

The country will set a new record for number of women governors serving at the same time. Here are the races The 19th is closely following.

Barbara Rodriguez · May 3, 2022
She’s a White suburban mom. Can this lawmaker — and her viral speech — rally people like her for Democrats?

Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow’s speech last month against anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric went viral. She hopes her message can spur action among women who may be on the political sidelines.

Barbara Rodriguez · May 2, 2022
Florida’s redistricting fight continues. The head of the state League of Women Voters talks about what’s at stake.

Cecile Scoon, the first Black woman to serve as president of the League of Women Voters of Florida, spoke with The 19th about a recent voting rights victory and efforts to bring in new members as lawmakers consider new maps.

Barbara Rodriguez · April 19, 2022
Colorado may soon be the first state to guarantee its lawmakers 12 weeks of paid parental leave

Such formal parental leave policies are extremely rare in statehouses. That’s changing as more women and young people serve in public office.

Barbara Rodriguez · April 13, 2022
What happens if officials who run elections think they’re rigged?

A Colorado county official who was charged last month with election tampering has embraced falsehoods about the 2020 election. Insider threats to elections are rare, but a new report raises concerns.

Barbara Rodriguez · April 6, 2022
As election workers face increased threats and intimidation, some states are trying to protect them

The vast majority of election workers are women, and legislation in states including Oregon aims to protect them as lies about rigged elections make it harder for them to do their jobs safely.

Barbara Rodriguez · March 30, 2022
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

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Articles by

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