AP appoints new Miami-based politics writer
May 7, 2013, 2:51 PM
MIAMI (AP) – Michael J. Mishak, who has covered politics in California and Nevada, has been named the AP’s new Miami-based politics writer.
Mishak, 32, joins the AP from the Los Angeles Times, where he covered the Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration from Sacramento since 2010. He previously covered politics and labor for the Las Vegas Sun, where in 2007 and 2008 he broke several stories about how the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton campaigns were courting unions and other voting blocs in Nevada’s first early presidential caucus. Those stories were among coverage that led to Mishak being named Nevada’s top young journalist by the state’s press association.
His appointment was announced Tuesday by South Region Editor Lisa Marie Pane and Florida News Editor Terry Spencer.
“Florida always seems to end up playing a central role in national politics and Mike’s aggressive and thoughtful coverage will be instrumental in exploring the key players and the issues for people inside and out of Florida,” Pane said. “Mike has a strong track record of peeling away the veil of mystery behind political leaders and their actions. He’ll be joining a strong team of AP staff in Florida to tell those stories.”
Mishak will be teaming up with Tallahassee-based correspondent Brendan Farrington in providing distinctive coverage of Florida politics for state, national and global audiences.
“Mishak’s appointment to this new position marks a critical expansion of the AP’s national political reporting team,” said Liz Sidoti, AP’s political editor based in Washington. “It will help ensure that the AP fulfills its mission to provide competitive, comprehensive and clear campaign coverage during the upcoming 2014 and 2016 contests while also chronicling changes in the public’s attitudes and behavior.”
Mishak is a native of Philadelphia and a 2002 graduate of La Salle University.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
