Institute of Politics

Tim Alberta is a staff writer for The Atlantic. Formerly, he was chief political correspondent for POLITICO where his longer form work is often published in the publication’s magazine. Tim is widely recognized as one of the most skilled political reporters of his generation, covering a range of topics, including: The Trump presidency; Capitol Hill; the ideological warfare between and within the two parties; demographic change in America; and the evolving role of money in elections. Most recently, he received critical acclaim for co-moderating the final Democratic presidential primary debate in 2019 hosted by PBS Newshour and POLITICO. Based in Michigan and tasked with roving widely across battleground states, Tim writes a regular “Letter to Washington,” a 2020 dispatch highlighting stories, trends, and people from outside the political bubble for the political bubbles.

Prior to joining POLITICO, Tim had extensive experience at National Journal, where he covered Congress as House leadership reporter and later reported on campaigns as the publication’s senior political correspondent. In addition, he served as senior editor of The Hotline, and has reported for both The Wall Street Journal and covered the 2016 campaign for National Review. Tim's work has been featured in dozens of other publications nationwide, including Sports Illustrated and Vanity Fair, and he frequently appears as a commentator on political television programs in the United States and around the world. His 2019 book, "American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump," debuted at No. 2 on the New York Times best-seller list. He lives in his native Michigan with his wife, three sons and German Shepherd.