Kathleen Hunter
Bio:
Kathleen Hunter is part of Roll Call's House leadership reporting team and writes about politically contentious topics ranging from repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy to immigration to the latest developments in the flap over whether the White House offered Rep. Joe Sestak a job to discouraging him from challenging incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter. At Roll Call, Kate has focused on covering factions within the Democratic Caucus, including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Blue Dog Coalition, with on emphasis on those groups' interactions with leadership.
Prior to coming to Roll Call in 2010, Kate spent four years as a reporter for Congressional Quarterly. Kate has also worked at Stateline.org, where she covered trends in state policy and politics, and at the Chapel Hill News in North Carolina, where she covered local government. Kate is a 2002 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she majored in journalism and political science and was the 2001-02 editor-in-chief of the award-winning campus newspaper, the Daily Tar Heel.
Stories by Kathleen Hunter:
Jan. 14, 2011
BALTIMORE — House Republicans kicked off their retreat here with a heavy emphasis on cutting government spending, reducing the national debt and strengthening the nation’s global economic standing.
Jan. 14, 2011
BALTIMORE — House Republican leaders are dismissing a Democratic proposal to have mixed-party seating at the State of the Union address, pointing out that the event never has assigned seats and Members can sit wherever they choose.
Jan. 12, 2011
House Republicans gather today in Baltimore to plot the path forward for their hard-fought new majority under the inevitable shadow of the shootings in Tucson, Ariz., which essentially put the GOP agenda on hold this week.
Jan. 12, 2011
A Republican from Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ home state of Arizona suggested Wednesday that the shooting rampage that injured Giffords and killed or wounded 19 others could have been stopped sooner had there been more armed people at the scene.
Jan. 12, 2011
The top staffer for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords has been keeping her apprised of activity in her Congressional office, even while the Arizona Democrat recovers from a gunshot wound, according to an interview taped Wednesday afternoon.
Jan. 11, 2011
Speaker John Boehner has formally invited President Barack Obama to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Jan. 25.
Jan. 10, 2011
Shock turned to mourning Monday on Capitol Hill as Members and staff tried to come to terms with the Arizona shooting tragedy that included the attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
Jan. 9, 2011
Saturday’s shooting rampage in Tucson, Ariz. — which left Rep. Gabrielle Giffords fighting for her life and killed or wounded at least 19 others — shook the Capitol like no event since 9/11.
Jan. 9, 2011
Nancy Pelosi wants to keep many of the responsibilities she held for the past four years as Speaker, while Steny Hoyer is grasping for the clout he once held as Majority Leader. Problem is: Pelosi is now the Minority Leader and Hoyer is Whip, and there’s far less authority to go around.
Jan. 7, 2011
The House Democratic Caucus approved dramatically pared back committee rosters Friday afternoon for the Appropriations, Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means committees.
Jan. 7, 2011
Blue Dog Democrats remain deeply frustrated with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s leadership and are signaling they are ready to break ranks and cut deals with Republicans.
Jan. 7, 2011
House Democrats hope to translate their success in exploiting a series of GOP missteps in their first days of power into the foundation for a more unified front, something they have sorely lacked since taking control of the chamber in 2006.
Jan. 5, 2011
Nineteen Democrats — including two California Members — registered protest votes against Nancy Pelosi’s leadership and publicly supported another candidate for Speaker during Wednesday’s floor vote.
Jan. 5, 2011
An emotional John Boehner’s first move after taking the Speaker’s gavel Wednesday was to hush the whoops and hollers of his elated GOP colleagues by saying, “It’s still just me.”
Jan. 5, 2011
Nancy Pelosi still has some work to do to gain back the confidence of her entire Caucus.
Jan. 4, 2011
Incoming Minority Whip Steny Hoyer has been floating the idea of forming an intra-Caucus task force to help Democratic Members make better use of their floor strategy as they move back into the minority.
Jan. 4, 2011
President Barack Obama is tentatively slated to make an appearance at an issues conference this month for House Democrats, a Caucus aide said Monday.
Jan. 4, 2011
Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi will vow to “fight for American jobs” and reduce the deficit during her final speech on the House floor before her successor takes the gavel Wednesday.
Jan. 4, 2011
John Boehner, who will be elevated from Minority Leader to Speaker today, is up against an enormous challenge: He must appease a flock of conservative and ambitious GOP freshmen while putting in place a strategy for his party to expand its Congressional majority and win the White House in 2012.
Jan. 3, 2011
Rep. Heath Shuler plans to vote for himself rather than Rep. Nancy Pelosi during Wednesday’s floor vote for Speaker, and he predicted Monday that Democratic colleagues who are similarly displeased with her past leadership as Speaker would back him as well.
Dec. 23, 2010
Rep. Elijah Cummings’ House Democratic colleagues are increasingly eyeing him as a possible successor to Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.) in the Caucus’ elected leadership.
Dec. 22, 2010
The 111th Congress was heading toward the finish Wednesday as the Senate reached a deal on a 9/11 health care bill, the last piece of unresolved business.
Dec. 22, 2010
President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed into law a repeal of the military's 17-year-old policy banning openly gay service members.
Dec. 22, 2010
The 111th Congress was heading toward the finish Wednesday as the Senate reached a deal on a 9/11 health care bill, the last piece of unresolved business.
Dec. 21, 2010
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced Tuesday morning that the House could adjourn for the year late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
