Charles Mahtesian
Charles Mahtesian is NPR's Politics Editor.
Prior to coming to the network, Mahtesian spent five years as Politico's national politics editor, where he directed its political and campaign coverage and authored a blog on the American political landscape.
He joined Politico after five years as the editor of the National Journal's Almanac of American Politics, the biennial book often referred to as "the bible of American politics."
Before that, he spent eight years as a national correspondent for Governing magazine, where he covered state legislatures, governors and urban politics.
He began his career reporting on elections and congressional redistricting for Congressional Quarterly, where he was also a contributing writer to the books "Politics in America" and "Congressional Districts in the 1990s."
Prior to coming to NPR in his current role, Mahtesian had served as an election night analyst for NPR and was a frequent guest on NPR's All Things Considered and Talk of the Nation; MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, and on FOX News, C-SPAN, CNN and the BBC.
He has written for a variety of newspapers, journals, and magazines including Politico, The Washington Post, The Weekly Standard, National Journal, Congress Daily, Government Executive, and Campaigns and Elections.
He earned his bachelor's degree in politics from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and his law degree from American University.
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Shortly after Rep. Eric Cantor's surprise defeat in the Republican primary, Cantor announced his plans to step down soon from his position as House majority leader. This will leave a void in the GOP leadership, an open spot that's sure to attract plenty of interest.
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One of the biggest political questions of the year will be answered: Can Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell withstand a Tea Party challenge? -
Primaries in Indiana, North Carolina and Ohio serve as the kickoff for an intense two-month stretch of elections. Did we mention former American Idol star Clay Aiken is on the ballot? -
Three states go to the polls Tuesday, starting what will be an eight-week stretch of primaries in the U.S. For a look at the intra-party political landscape, NPR's Charlie Mahtesian has this overview.
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De Blasio, the first Democrat elected as mayor in two decades, rode the subway to his swearing in. In his inaugural speech, he promised "a new progressive direction in New York." -
At least 13 victims have injuries ranging from burns to trauma suffered from jumping out windows. -
From the Eastern Seaboard to the Pacific Northwest, there's a colorful and compelling roster of political contests on Tuesday. Many of them have national implications, including a gubernatorial contest in New Jersey and a special congressional runoff in Alabama.
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Now that the president has consulted with Congress on military action in Syria, he must abide by its vote, says a House Foreign Affairs Committee Republican who backs limited strikes. -
Rep. Elijah Cummings, who represents a district in Maryland that gave the president landslide victories, reports deep resistance among his constituents. He says nearly all of the people contacting his office urge him to vote against U.S. military action. -
When it came time to cast the most important vote of his brief Senate career, Massachusetts Democrat Ed Markey avoided taking a position. And his vote was all the more puzzling given the circumstances of his election.
