Phillip M. Bailey

Phillip M. Bailey, a Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award-winning journalist, is a national political correspondent for USA TODAY who has covered everything from presidential races to the tumult in the U.S. Congress to voting rights to policing and social justice. A native of Louisville, Ky., Phillip is a multimedia journalist whose nearly 20-year career has spanned LEO Weekly, NPR, The Courier-Journal and now with USA TODAY. Starting as a City Hall reporter in Louisville, Phillip has delivered exclusive reporting and insightful analysis that led to rule changes to state laws, whistleblower protections, ending corrupt police programs and the ouster of at least two public officials on ethics charges and sexual harassment claims. He has also closely covered the career of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, landing several interviews with him. Whether covering state legislative actions, White House hopefuls, grassroots movements or governor and Senate races, Phillip is keenly interested in reporting that reflects how Americans across the country talk, think and respond to politics.