Accessibility links
Don Gonyea Gonyea is NPR's National Political Correspondent, a position he has held since 2010. His reports can be heard on all NPR News programs and at NPR.org.
Don
Stories By

Don Gonyea

It's All Politics

Fueled By Outside Money, Ad Blitz Hasn't Stopped For Weary Iowans

It's not even summer yet, and the dust from the primaries has barely settled. But in battleground states, things seem especially intense already this election season. The big change this year is the rise of outside advocacy groups, which are paying for most of what seem like nonstop TV ads.

Fueled By Outside Money, Ad Blitz Hasn't Stopped For Weary Iowans

Listen · 5:20
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/153920122/153940011" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Elections

In Iowa, Obama Accuses Romney Of Distortion

President Obama campaigned Thursday in Iowa, where he delivered his sharpest criticisms yet of Republican rival Mitt Romney. Iowa is one of several states likely to determine the outcome of the November presidential election.

In Iowa, Obama Accuses Romney Of Distortion

Listen · 3:35
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/153679122/153679105" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Elections

Obama Camp Hammers Away At Bain Capital Issue

The Obama campaign continues its attack on Mitt Romney's time at the private-equity firm Bain Capital. Over the weekend, Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Cory Booker seemed to veer off the campaign's message. Later, Booker tempered his remarks in a YouTube video. But it didn't take long for the Romney campaign to seize on Booker's comments.

Obama Camp Hammers Away At Bain Capital Issue

Listen · 3:34
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/153253005/153259401" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Politics

Obama, Romney Wade Into Wis. Recall Fervor

Wisconsin's Republican governor, Scott Walker, will face Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett next month in a recall election. President Obama has expressed support for Barrett, just as his Republican rival Mitt Romney is supporting Walker, who is a hero to many conservatives. But both President Obama and Romney face a choice over how deeply involved they should be in the recall election. Neither man wants the contest to become a referendum on their candidacies.

Obama, Romney Wade Into Wis. Recall Fervor

Listen · 4:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/152852272/152854018" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Iowa On Same-Sex Marriage: It's Complicated

Iowans attend a marriage rally sponsored by The Family Leader on Tuesday at the Statehouse in Des Moines. The head of the organization says President Obama's endorsement of gay marriage could cost him the election. Charlie Neibergall/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Charlie Neibergall/AP

Presidential Race

Iowa On Same-Sex Marriage: It's Complicated

The outcome of this year's election will be determined by a handful of states. One of them is Iowa, where gay marriage is legal. Jobs may be at the forefront of voters' minds, but President Obama's endorsement of same-sex marriage — and Mitt Romney's response — could swing voters either way.

Iowa On Same-Sex Marriage: It's Complicated

Listen · 4:23
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/152550759/152561134" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Politics

Unions Take The Lead To Recall Wis. Gov. Walker

Next month, Wisconsin voters will go to the polls in a recall election that could remove controversial Republican Gov. Scott Walker from office. But first, Democratic voters will mark their ballots in next week's primary election that will determine which Democrat will face-off against Walker. Labor unions were the driving force behind the bid to recall Walker, and the movement has a great deal at stake in the election.

Unions Take The Lead To Recall Wis. Gov. Walker

Listen · 4:34
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/152001777/152001754" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Obama Team Changes Line Of Attack Against Romney

Vice President Biden defends the administration's foreign policy --€” and questions Mitt Romney's ideas — on Thursday at New York University. Lucas Jackson/Reuters/Landov hide caption

toggle caption
Lucas Jackson/Reuters/Landov

Elections

Obama Team Changes Line Of Attack Against Romney

Republican Mitt Romney is sticking with his long-standing attack on President Obama as someone not up to the job of turning around the economy. But the Obama campaign has stopped portraying Romney as a flip-flopping, say-anything politician. It is now characterizing him as an extreme conservative.

Obama Team Changes Line Of Attack Against Romney

Listen · 4:08
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/151539239/151553413" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

National

President Obama Takes Steps To End Mass Atrocities

President Obama toured the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., on Monday with Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel. In a speech there afterward, Obama announced a series of steps to prevent mass atrocities. An executive order signed last night targets those who use information and communication technology in pursuit of human rights abuses.

President Obama Takes Steps To End Mass Atrocities

Listen · 3:27
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/151234305/151231538" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Immigration Remains A Dicey Issue For Romney, GOP

Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at a campaign rally in Tempe, Ariz., on Friday. Jae C. Hong/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Jae C. Hong/AP

Mitt Romney

Immigration Remains A Dicey Issue For Romney, GOP

President Obama won 2 out of 3 Hispanic votes in 2008, and Democrats this election season have a growing advantage with Hispanics. But Republicans and likely nominee Mitt Romney say they have a strong case to make for those votes based on the economy, and some are trying to shift focus away from Romney's stance on immigration.

Immigration Remains A Dicey Issue For Romney, GOP

Listen · 5:04
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/151178322/151189687" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Other Options Gone, Tea Party Members Warm Up To Romney

Courting Tea Party voters in Philadelphia on Monday night, Mitt Romney speaks next to a large statue of Benjamin Franklin at the Franklin Institute. Tim Shaffer/Reuters/Landov hide caption

toggle caption
Tim Shaffer/Reuters/Landov

It's All Politics

Other Options Gone, Tea Party Members Warm Up To Romney

At a Tea Party gathering in Philadelphia on Monday night, many in the crowd were only recent converts to Mitt Romney's campaign. Some said a solid Tea Party vice presidential choice would generate real enthusiasm for Romney's cause.

Other Options Gone, Tea Party Members Warm Up To Romney

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/150795365/150787135" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Elections

Tri-State Tea Party Welcomes Romney To Philly

Likely Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney spoke before the Tri-State Tea Party Caucus in Philadelphia Monday night. Romney struggled to win the backing of Tea Party supporters during the Republican primary season. Now that the campaign is entering the general phase, can Romney count on Tea Party support — especially in key states like Pennsylvania?

Tri-State Tea Party Welcomes Romney To Philly

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/150787150/150787135" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Politics

Santorum's Campaign Was Full Of Surprise Twists

Looking back on the Rick Santorum campaign can turn into a retrospective on the whole Republican nominating campaign, which now looks to be over.

Santorum's Campaign Was Full Of Surprise Twists

Listen · 4:22
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/150445841/150446094" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Elections

Santorum Ends Campaign But 'Isn't Done Fighting'

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum suspended his presidential campaign Tuesday. It had lasted longer than anyone expected, but Santorum was well behind front-runner Mitt Romney in the race for delegates.

Santorum Ends Campaign But 'Isn't Done Fighting'

Listen · 4:22
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/150406670/150406756" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

'Faith And Freedom' In Wis. Primary Push

Wisconsin holds its presidential primary on Tuesday. Among the many campaign events this weekend, was one sponsored by the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a national organization that wants to make sure Christian conservative and evangelical voters turn out in large numbers this year. NPR's Don Gonyea reports.

'Faith And Freedom' In Wis. Primary Push

Listen · 4:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/149787508/149787499" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
In Wisconsin, Recall Politics Overshadow Primary

Demonstrators cheer the effort to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Jan. 17 in Madison. Andy Manis/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Andy Manis/AP

Elections

In Wisconsin, Recall Politics Overshadow Primary

Wisconsin holds its GOP presidential primary on Tuesday. But voters are hardly paying attention: The state has been consumed by the looming recall election of Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

In Wisconsin, Recall Politics Overshadow Primary

Listen · 4:26
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/149627310/149636063" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript