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The Texas Tribune, the state’s go-to source for Texas politics and public policy news, is hiring a Washington, D.C.-based correspondent to cover federal politics and policies that affect Texans.

We are seeking an aggressive and enterprising reporter to provide watchdog coverage of the 38 House members and two senators who make up Texas’ colorful and powerful congressional delegation.

Texas politicians in Austin and Washington frequently attract the national spotlight. Texans are routinely in contention for the White House and key cabinet roles. Texas is a space of contention for both major parties, and Texas’ future is also America’s.

This position involves a lot of news coverage, but also an enterprising and creative approach. One reporter (even with the aid of our terrific fellows) cannot cover all federal policy that affects Texas. We are not seeking someone to primarily keep track of how Texas lawmakers vote on federal legislation. Rather, this reporter will be expected to contribute smart, competitive and analytical coverage of the delegation, with sharp instincts for prioritizing the most important stories. That should include explanatory reporting about what federal legislation means for Texas, textured and accountability-driven profiles of lawmakers, regulators, administration officials and office-seekers, and the ability to write aggressively during peak political periods.

The Washington Correspondent ideally will have a keen eye for national political trends, and how our voters or representatives either shape or fit into those narratives. That might include stories about how Texans — from lawmakers to cabinet officials — are shaping the course of President Donald Trump’s second term, or how Democrats in the Texas delegation are using their opposition role to raise their profiles.

This reporter should be interested in writing about power, who has it and why the scales may be tilting in different directions. But this reporter should be equally interested in connecting political decision-making to the impact on ordinary Texans.

Familiarity with Capitol Hill reporting is a plus, but most of all we’re seeking a journalist with insatiable curiosity and energy and a commitment to fairness and truth-seeking. This reporter should be able to authoritatively root out and combat misinformation. The Washington Correspondent should have an understanding and interest in campaign finance and how money influences power in our state. A collaborative spirit — including the ability to work well on teams and with multimedia, data and visual journalists — is essential.

This reporter will be part of an ambitious politics team that includes four other Texas-based reporters. The Tribune’s Washington correspondent routinely teams up with these reporters, particularly on election coverage, and there will continue to be ample opportunity for collaboration.

Our politics reporters are frequent guests on local and national television, radio and podcasts. They sometimes moderate debates or host Texas Tribune live interviews and events. Collaborating with our audience team is essential to ensure that our journalism reaches a wide and engaged readership beyond our website. This involves promoting stories on social media platforms, creating scripts for social videos, and participating in various off-platform initiatives such as newsletters and podcasts.

This reporter will report to the Politics Editor.

The starting salary for this position is $80,000, but pay will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Responsibilities

  • Write accurate, clear and well-reported stories on deadline.
  • Identify and pitch stories on key Texas political and policy topics.
  • Balance news coverage with deeply reported enterprise stories.
  • Work with other reporters throughout the newsroom on various assignments.
  • Occasional travel and work on nights, weekends and holidays
  • Collaborate with visual, data and audience teams for storytelling.
  • Occasionally moderate live panels with newsmakers for our events.

Qualifications

  • BA/BS degree preferred
  • 3+ years of relevant professional experience or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience is preferred
  • A passion and talent for jumping on quick-turn enterprise writing
  • A demonstrated ability to work quickly and under tight deadlines
  • A deep commitment to and enthusiasm for both breaking news and enterprise reporting
  • A clear desire and proven ability to collaborate with other colleagues across the organization
  • A strong sense and devotion to journalistic ethics and libel law
  • Strong communication and storytelling skills using AP style and the ability to research and fact-check information on your own using excellent writing, reviewing, and editing skills

We know there are great candidates who won’t check all of these boxes, and we also know you might bring important skills that we haven’t considered. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

Location

The Texas Tribune office is located in downtown Austin, steps away from the Texas Capitol building. This position is based in Washington, D.C. Occasional travel to Texas is expected.

Benefits

This job is full-time and has the following benefits:

  • Medical, vision and dental insurance
  • A cellphone stipend
  • 20 days of paid time off each year
  • Up to 16 weeks of paid family leave plus four weeks of additional job protection
  • 401(k) matching
  • Support for professional training and attending industry conferences
  • Remote working flexibility

How to Apply

Submit your application here by April 28, 2025, with a resume and examples of your work, please submit a cover letter detailing your vision for this position and how you would approach the work. We can't wait to hear from you.

The Texas Tribune is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for all, and we encourage applicants of all identities, backgrounds, ages, and abilities to apply.

About The Texas Tribune

Here’s what you should know about the Tribune. From day one we’ve had disruption, innovation and risk-taking in our DNA. We’re ambitious as all get out but still have the punch-above-your-weight mentality of a scrappy start-up. We believe we can meet the demands of our audience and our own expectations for excellence without breaking the bank — or our staff. We understand not everything is a story for us — we have to make choices — but we’re always looking to expand our boundaries.

We’re nonprofit because the challenging economic reality for media these days obligates us to find a different way, reliable and sustainable, to fund serious journalism. We’re nonpartisan because we live in the United States of Confirmation Bias — and we don’t need to be part of the problem. We don’t need to be yet another source of information affirming the voices and perspectives that are already in people’s heads. At the same time, nonpartisan is not non-thinking. We call B.S. when B.S. needs to be called.

The Texas Tribune seeks to ensure that its newsroom and its news coverage reflect Texas by including a wide range of perspectives from people of different backgrounds, ideologies and experiences.

Learn more about The Texas Tribune here.