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 Gonyea 2010
Stories By

Don Gonyea

Elections

GOP Uses Convention To Reach Out To Female Voters

This week's Republican National Convention has been designed to appeal to female voters, not just loyal Republicans but also independents. The effort is driven by the big deficit GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney has among women in polls with President Obama.

GOP Uses Convention To Reach Out To Female Voters

Listen · 4:09
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/160366695/160366747" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Elections

Ryan Won't Get All The Votes In Janesville, Wis.

In Paul Ryan's hometown of Janesville, Wis., where he still lives, people are still getting used to all the attention since he was placed on the GOP presidential ticket. Ryan is a figure of great admiration — even if many in Janesville are not enamored with his politics.

Ryan Won't Get All The Votes In Janesville, Wis.

Listen · 4:29
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/160226972/160231110" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

National

Janesville Library Prepared For Inquiring Reporters

For most residents of Janesville, Wis., the selection of Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney's running mate was a story of a life-long local resident making good. For the librarians of Janesville, it meant getting ready for a steady steam of political reporters who came knocking on their door.

Janesville Library Prepared For Inquiring Reporters

Listen · 2:37
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/159308743/159308881" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Elections

Rep. Ryan Headlines GOP Events In Colorado, Nevada

Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan continues to introduce himself to voters. Over the weekend, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced Ryan would be his running mate. So far, Ryan has campaigned exclusively in battleground states that were carried by Democrats in 2008.

Rep. Ryan Headlines GOP Events In Colorado, Nevada

Listen · 4:55
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/158818421/158818590" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Elections

Hecklers Interrupt Ryan At Iowa State Fair Stop

On Monday, GOP Rep. Paul Ryan made his first solo campaign trip since being named Mitt Romney's vice presidential running mate. Ryan went to the Iowa State where candidates are a common sight. Ryan drew a big crowd but it wasn't always friendly.

Hecklers Interrupt Ryan At Iowa State Fair Stop

Listen · 3:44
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/158742491/158745424" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
In Brawl Over Romney's Tax Returns, Harry Reid Gets Marquee Billing

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. speaks to the media at the Capitol in March. T.J. Kirkpatrick/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
T.J. Kirkpatrick/Getty Images

It's All Politics

In Brawl Over Romney's Tax Returns, Harry Reid Gets Marquee Billing

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is taking fire from the Senate majority leader over his decision not to release more of his tax returns. In Reid, Romney is up against someone who's not on the ballot and clearly enjoys a fight.

In Brawl Over Romney's Tax Returns, Harry Reid Gets Marquee Billing

Listen · 4:10
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/158431133/158448828" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Older, Tougher — But Will The Tea Party Be Stronger?

Ted Cruz, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks at a rally organized by the Tea Party Express in San Antonio in May. Hernan Rozemberg/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Hernan Rozemberg/AP

Elections

Older, Tougher — But Will The Tea Party Be Stronger?

Polls showed public support for the movement falling off significantly. But the Tea Party remains a force in many states. Its favored candidate for the U.S. Senate won big in Texas last week, sending the strongest signal yet that the movement will be a factor this fall.

Older, Tougher — But Will The Tea Party Be Stronger?

Listen · 4:11
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/158232360/158286686" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Elections

Presidential Race Zeroes In On Nevada

Nevada has just six electoral votes, but it's much fought over in presidential elections. In 2008, it gave an unexpectedly big boost to Democratic candidate Barack Obama. This year the contest is shaping up to be much closer as Nevada copes with both the worst unemployment in the nation and one of the country's highest home foreclosure rates.

Presidential Race Zeroes In On Nevada

Listen · 4:35
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/157637436/157637413" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Elections

Romney Attacks Obama's Foreign Policy

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney attacked President Obama's foreign policy during a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars on Tuesday. He spoke a day after the president addressed the same group's national convention in Reno, Nevada.

Romney Attacks Obama's Foreign Policy

Listen · 4:04
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/157342077/157342116" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
He's A Long Shot, But Don't Count Huckabee Out

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee delivers remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference in February in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Veepstakes

He's A Long Shot, But Don't Count Huckabee Out

Putting Mike Huckabee on the GOP ticket this year as Mitt Romney's running mate could certainly liven up the presidential race. The former Arkansas governor is likable, experienced and even plays bass. But as someone who claims to focus on conversation, not confrontation, would he go on the attack for Romney?

He's A Long Shot, But Don't Count Huckabee Out

Listen · 4:02
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/157124422/157185970" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Presidential Race

Romney, Obama Question Each Other's Records

President Obama answered questions from voters at a town-hall-style campaign event in Cincinnati on Monday. Meanwhile, his rival Mitt Romney suggested in a Fox News interview that the president's record should be subjected to greater scrutiny. The Romney campaign has spent the past several days responding to conflicting reports about when the former Massachusetts governor left the private equity firm Bain Capital.

Romney, Obama Question Each Other's Records

Listen · 2:29
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/156869018/156865912" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Politics

NAACP Applauds Biden's Voting Rights Message

One of the top concerns of delegates to the NAACP convention in Houston is the spread of voter ID laws, which proponents say reduces fraud. Opponents say requiring voters to present government-issued identification cards tends to suppress the minority vote. Vice President Joe Biden addressed the group Thursday.

NAACP Applauds Biden's Voting Rights Message

Listen · 3:27
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/156710832/156710821" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Presidential Race

After Romney Is Booed, Biden Is Cheered At NAACP

A day after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's controversial speech at the NAACP, Vice President Joe Biden took the stage.

After Romney Is Booed, Biden Is Cheered At NAACP

Listen · 3:51
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/156689004/156688989" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Elections

NAACP Boos Romney's Pledge To Repeal Obamacare

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney told members of the NAACP that he is the better choice for African Americans than President Obama. Romney's comments at the convention in Houston received many boos including when he said he would work to repeal the health care law.

NAACP Boos Romney's Pledge To Repeal Obamacare

Listen · 4:21
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/156648669/156652086" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript