Michael Kruse Joins The Times

The American political landscape is moving at a breakneck pace, and capturing its full scope requires seeing past the din of the daily news to find the deeper stories of character and ambition that define the race for power. To help us capture that depth, we are thrilled to announce that Michael Kruse, a premier political storyteller, has joined the Politics desk.

Michael will continue to write the deep dives he is known for, producing Great Reads and rich profiles of the most intriguing candidates and figures, while also experimenting with new storyforms to explore pivotal political moments and movements in creative ways.

He joins us from Politico and Politico's magazine, where he established himself with an impressive body of work. His profiles of Nancy Mace , Susie Wiles and Madison Cawthorn are emblematic examples of his ability to dissect political character, and his reporting on Graham Platner shows his knack for finding compelling stories in unexpected corners. Michael's work there earned him the National Press Foundation's Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress, back-to-back National Headliner Awards for his coverage of Donald Trump and a congressional race in Ohio , and a Toner Prize honorable mention for Excellence in National Political Reporting.

Before his time at Politico, Michael spent years at The Tampa Bay Times, and his work has been anthologized in "The Best American Newspaper Narratives," Out There: The Wildest Stories From Outside magazine" and "Next Wave: America's New Generation of Great Literary Journalists."

His commitment to political history is equally deep; he is currently at work on a book about the 2000 election. A native of the Boston area and a graduate of Davidson College, Michael lives in North Carolina.

Please join us in giving Michael a warm welcome to the team.

-Michael Cooper and Felice Belman