I travel regularly to cover stories across the American Midwest, a vast and fascinating region that spans parts of three time zones. My territory includes some of the country’s largest cities and some of its most remote places, presenting a range of topics. I write often about state-level politics, agriculture, property rights, gun violence, natural disasters and policing.
My reporting is focused on Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, but I have covered stories across the United States.
My Background
I have spent my life and career in the region that I cover. I joined the Chicago bureau of The Times in 2014 after working at The Chicago Tribune. I grew up in Kansas and have degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern University.
Journalistic Ethics
I am committed to journalism that is fair, complete and factual, and that respects the people and places I write about. Like all Times journalists, I work to uphold the standards outlined in our Ethical Journalism Handbook.
Nebraska’s attorney general not only cast doubt on a newly enacted law, but also on the state’s longstanding policy of allowing many people who finished criminal sentences to vote.
Pro-Palestinian organizers predicted overwhelming turnout that would take their case directly to the Democrats. Protesters gathered, but they did not steal the show.
By Julie Bosman, Mitch Smith, Ernesto Londoño, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Jon Cherry
At least 55 demonstrators protesting the Democratic convention were detained on Tuesday after scuffling with the police outside Israel’s consulate. Hundreds more marched Wednesday.
By Julie Bosman, Mitch Smith, Ernesto Londoño and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs
As his city hosts the Democrats, Mayor Brandon Johnson wants to change how the world sees Chicago. But protests bring uncertainty, and the convention carries risks.
The Democrats are arriving in Chicago, the country’s third-largest city, for their first in-person convention in eight years. Take our quiz to find out how much you know about the city.
Activists are pushing for policy changes on Gaza as Democrats hold their convention. Chicago officials are confident they will avoid a repeat of the chaos that unfolded in 1968.
About 50,000 people are expected in the nation’s third-largest city for the Democrats’ convention. Some Chicagoans are thrilled. Others are skipping town.
Republicans quickly zeroed in on the liberal policies Tim Walz has signed into law in Minnesota, as well as his handling of unrest in Minneapolis after George Floyd’s murder in 2020.
Some believe that Gov. Tim Walz should have deployed the Minnesota National Guard sooner when riots broke out following the police murder of George Floyd.
Vice President Kamala Harris has not strayed from President Biden on Israel policy, but she has taken a stronger tone on the suffering of Palestinians.
The Iowa Supreme Court ruled last month that the Republican-backed law could be enforced. Abortions had been legal in the state up until about 22 weeks.
An assailant ran over the 80-year-old man with an all-terrain vehicle, leaving him badly injured, law enforcement officials said, decrying the act of political violence.
Democratic voters said they were relieved that President Biden was ending his campaign, but many said they remain worried about the political path ahead.
By Patricia Mazzei, Mitch Smith and Heather Knight
Several ardent Democrats said they were grateful to the president for stepping aside and enthusiastic about Kamala Harris as his replacement in the race.
By Mitch Smith, Audra D. S. Burch and Heather Knight
The officers were part of a contingent of 4,500 law enforcement officials who came to the Wisconsin city to assist local police with the Republicans’ convention.
The Republican National Convention is heading to Milwaukee, the largest city in the key swing state of Wisconsin. The four-day affair will put the city in an international spotlight just four years after Covid-19 spoiled the Democrats’ plans to hold their own convention in Milwaukee. But how much do you know about the host city? Take our quiz to find out.
The demonstration, while spirited, appeared to be far smaller than organizers had expected. Some suggested that the attempted assassination of Donald J. Trump may have affected the turnout and mood.
By Mitch Smith, Julie Bosman, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, Robert Chiarito and Dan Simmons
As 50,000 people began arriving in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, Secret Service officials and local leaders aimed to reassure the public about safety.
The rulings were the latest blow for abortion opponents in Kansas, where abortion protections in the State Constitution have vexed Republicans for years.
The decision by the court’s liberal majority, delivered four months before the November election, reverses a ruling by conservative jurists two years ago.
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California defended President Biden and told party activists in Michigan, a critical swing state, “not to be fatalistic” about the campaign.
Gavin Newsom, Gretchen Whitmer and Andy Beshear were among those attending Wednesday’s meeting in person. At least a dozen governors were joining remotely.
The president’s conversations are the first indication that he is seriously considering whether he can recover after a devastating debate performance. The White House said he had not spoken about leaving the race.
Officials in Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota reported widespread damage and continuing danger. A bridge collapsed on Sunday and a dam was at risk on Monday.