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The LA Times goes through cycles on non-presidential politics: some editor regimes think it's boring, then somebody else wants more. There's been no big editor change — but there is a new publisher who once ran for mayor and who is calling a lot of shots. However it came about, the top editors just announced that the Times will be gearing up to cover more state politics, and the first move is to give longtime politics hand Cathleen Decker a regular column. Cathy has been the national politics editor most recently.
Here's the memo:
To: The Staff
From: Davan Maharaj, Editor, and Marc Duvoisin, Managing Editor
We are pleased to announce that Cathleen Decker, after a memorable run as The Times’ national politics editor, will become our signature voice on California politics.
Cathy has been contributing twice-monthly columns on California politics while directing our national political coverage – and contributing her own analyses to the Politics Now blog.
Now, she will turn her full attention to California politics, writing columns and analysis every Sunday and during the week.
Cathy’s work will be the centerpiece of reinvigorated Times coverage of California politics. Other parts of this picture will be filled in during the weeks to come. For now, suffice it to say we will increase both the frequency and depth of our state political coverage this year.
In Cathy’s journalism, this new initiative has the strongest possible foundation. She is a trenchant thinker, a graceful writer and a mentor to an entire generation of Times political journalists.
Her knowledge of California politics is unmatched; so is her flair in explaining it. She started at The Times in 1978 and has covered every California governor’s race since 1986. She has also covered 10 presidential campaigns, and she directed coverage of the 2012 contest.
In her new role, she will write from time to time on the 2016 presidential sweepstakes, especially as it concerns California voters, donors and political interests.
Please join us in congratulating her.
Davan and Marc
Here is Decker's somewhat active Twitter feed.
