Metro editor Jay Ducassi just announced this, Florida's loss but the nation's gain: Beth Reinhard, a Herald veteran whose stellar performance as our political writer for the past four years has earned the respect of her peers nationally, has decided to take a job as the lead national political correspondent for the National Journal in Washington.
Beth is a passionate political reporter who has that rare combination of being a relentless reporter and a gifted writer. She is a 24-7 blogger and a columnist with a genuine voice. Bottom line: she is a true authority on everything political in Florida. Beth began her career at The Herald in 1998, covering Broward schools. Back when Election Nights in Broward were spent at places like Rickey's and Kim's Alley Bar, a gentleman and scholar named Steve Bousquet took her under his wing and steered her toward taking over his post covering Broward politics and weekly column.
Beth covered her first session in Tallahassee while in the third trimester of pregnancy, and she has a bag of hanging chads to prove that she covered the 2000 recount before her baby girl was eating solid foods. She was on a campaign bus in the 2004 Senate race when her second daughter took her first steps. She became the Herald's political writer in 2006 and helped inaugurate the Naked Politics blog. She soon discovered that covering candidates campaigning at Cuban-American senior centers in Miami was exactly the same as covering Broward retirement condos, only with heavier accents and food. She covered the presidential election in 2008 and is now covering the equally eventful Senate and gubernatorial races of 2010.
We will miss her. Yet, at the same time, we are thrilled to know that others recognize her talent. In a chat with Sergio, the National Journal's Ron Fournier said he sought out Beth because of her writing and reporting chops, her outstanding coverage of Florida politics and the fact that she's not a Washington insider. Beth won't be leaving right away. We are grateful that she has committed to staying through this year's elections on Nov. 2.
Please join us in wishing her all the best.
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