John Bowden
John Bowden covers US politics for The Independent with a focus on how the words and behaviour of political leaders expose deeper tensions inside government and within the Republican Party. He treats off-the-cuff remarks, such as Donald Trump’s threat to “blow up” Oman in a Cabinet meeting, as entry points into the dynamics of power, decision-making and foreign policy rather than isolated gaffes. His reporting combines fast, news-driven coverage with clear explanation of what each development means for institutions, parties and voters.
Trump-era Republican politics and political rhetoric
Bowden’s most distinctive vein of work tracks the evolution of the Republican Party through the figure of Donald Trump and those who align themselves with him. He returns to Trump’s speeches, social media posts and unscripted comments, using the language itself as evidence for how the movement thinks about allies, adversaries and the use of force.
Episodes like the “blow up” Oman remark illustrate how he isolates a single striking quote and then situates it within debates over presidential temperament, national security judgment and the internal norms of the Cabinet. He often follows the ripple effects of such rhetoric inside the party, charting how senior Republicans, rivals and would-be successors respond, distance themselves or echo the same lines.
The result is coverage that treats Trumpism less as a personality story and more as an ongoing test of what his party is willing to accept or reward.
Congress, campaigns and intra-party battles
Alongside the presidency, Bowden reports extensively on Congress and the day-to-day struggles for control within and between the parties.
He covers leadership contests, committee showdowns and high-stakes votes, explaining how individual members position themselves in relation to Trump, their own base and national leadership. Election cycles are a recurring frame: he writes on primary fights, candidate announcements, debate performances and post-election fallout, emphasizing how campaign tactics reflect broader strategic choices about democracy, legitimacy and political violence. In these stories he tends to foreground procedural details - rule changes, internal party ballots, the fine print of resolutions - showing how they shape the balance of power just as much as public-facing messaging. That focus on mechanics helps his coverage stand out from more personality-driven political reporting.
Legal, ethical and democratic stress tests
Bowden regularly follows investigations, court battles and ethics controversies that put US political institutions under strain.
He covers inquiries into Trump and his associates, clashes over compliance with subpoenas, and disputes about the limits of executive power. His pieces often connect a discrete legal development - a new filing, a judge’s order, a committee’s report - to larger questions about accountability and precedent.
When he writes about allegations of misconduct or abuse of office, he tends to frame them as tests of whether existing checks and balances still function, rather than as stand-alone scandals. That institutional lens is especially visible in coverage of efforts to challenge election results, restrict voting or reshape the civil service, where he tracks both the immediate political winners and the long-term implications for democratic norms.
Tone, sourcing and format
Bowden writes in a direct, unadorned style that leans heavily on quotations, transcripts and official documents so readers can see the language decision-makers use in their own words. Much of his work is built around breaking or fast-moving developments - new remarks, fresh court actions, surprise votes - yet he typically embeds enough context to show how the latest turn fits into an ongoing narrative.
He works across formats, from short news hits that distill a key moment into a tight write-up to more expansive pieces that synthesize multiple threads of a story over weeks or months.
His sourcing tends to prioritise named officials, campaign operatives, public records and on-the-record statements, keeping his coverage grounded in verifiable material rather than speculation. Across his politics beat, the through-line is an emphasis on how rhetoric, procedure and law interact to shape who holds power and how they choose to use it.
4 more politics journalists.
A.D. Quig
A.D. Quig follows money and power through Chicago and Cook County government, showing how political decisions, taxes and public spending affect residents and businesses. At the Chicago Tribune, she covers city and county politics, municipal finance, tax policy, budgets and the structures shaping mayoral and council authority. She joined the Tribune in 2022 after covering politics for Crain’s Chicago Business and The Daily Line. Her work examines council power, ethics rules, police leadership, tax incentives, public agencies and pandemic aid. She has reported on data center tax breaks, property tax errors, federal relief spending and the fiscal effects of major development proposals. Quig combines insider government reporting with public accountability journalism. She uses public records, data and budget documents, follows committees and staff negotiations, and explains complex decisions in plain language with precise numbers and a direct link to everyday consequences.
Adam Daly
Adam Daly covers politics for amNewYork with a focus on the inner workings of city and state government and the low-profile forums where power is exercised and negotiated. He reports on commissions and panels that shape how New York is governed, treating charter reform and government efficiency as central political terrain. His coverage of moves to replace an Adams-era charter commission with a new government efficiency panel foregrounds mandate, authority, and what “efficiency” means in practice for agencies and services. He tracks who gains and loses influence when one commission supplants another and which constituencies are being answered to. Daly explains dense procedural questions in clear, reader-facing terms, using specific institutional details and occasional wordplay to connect jargon-heavy reforms to public spending, service delivery, and mayoral power.
Adam Pack
Adam Pack covers Capitol Hill through power struggles, investigations and ideological fights, focusing on how Congress intersects with Donald Trump’s agenda. He is a politics writer on Fox News Digital’s Capitol Hill team, covering Congress, federal elections, legislative battles, election rules, war powers, primaries and intraparty fights. He previously wrote for the Daily Caller News Foundation. His reporting examines deadlines, vote counts, bill language, campaign spending, court rulings, oversight reports, culture clashes and emerging issues such as AI-backed political groups. He has covered FISA reauthorization, defense spending, the SAVE America Act, housing policy, redistricting, candidate absences, primary spending and disputes over sex, gender, religion and race-based caucuses. He reports primarily through news features and investigative-style pieces built around documents, committee reports, court records, unearthed video and specific legislative details. He often co-writes complex Capitol Hill stories and publishes “FIRST ON FOX” exclusives.
Adam Sullivan
Adam Sullivan is a veteran politics reporter for WCAX who connects elections and party disputes to everyday life. He covers statewide races, party primaries, federal representation, political rhetoric, extremism, and accountability across the Upper Valley and neighboring states. His reporting includes Becca Balint’s victory over Molly Gray in the Democratic U.S. House primary to replace Congressman Peter Welch. He also reports when political controversies affect public safety, political culture, towns, and institutions, including a New Hampshire Libertarian Party post endorsing violence against elected Democrats. Sullivan follows cultural stories with civic consequences, such as Noah Kahan’s appeal to fans to stop stealing a Strafford road sign linked to his music. He writes straight news centered on concrete events, official reactions, political context, community impact, and what comes next.