Veteran Washington Post political reporter Robert Costa is jumping to CBS full-time in February to become the network’s chief election and campaign correspondent.
The New York Times broke the news Thursday morning, and Costa confirmed it on Twitter minutes later.
(thread) Personal news: Starting in Feb., I will be the Chief Election & Campaign Correspondent for CBS News. My reporting will focus on the 2022 midterms, the 2024 election, and American democracy. Stay tuned for in-depth stories, scoops, investigations, and on-the-road reports.
Advertisement— Robert Costa (@costareports) January 20, 2022
In announcing the news, Costa added that he has had “many conversations” with CBS News president Neeraj Khemlani “about the necessity of reporting the fragile state of American democracy and the need to break important stories across CBS News’ leading broadcast and streaming platforms ahead of 2022 midterms & 2024 election.”
A high-profile political reporter and author, Costa is also no stranger to TV news. He served as the moderator of Washington Week on PBS from 2017 to 2020, and a political analyst on MSNBC and NBC News programs from 2015 to 2020, frequently appearing on programs including Morning Joe, Deadline: White House and The 11th Hour.
Costa joined the Washington Post in 2014, reporting on the White House, Congress and national campaigns. He is also the co-author with Bob Woodward of the No. 1 bestselling book Peril. Published in Sept. 2021, the book has been cited in subpoenas issued by the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection.
“Bob Costa is one of the best political reporters of his generation,” Khemlani said in a statement. “From Peril and print to television and streaming, Costa’s fearless political reporting and unrivaled access to key decision-makers consistently stand out, bringing clarity and deep insight to readers and viewers everywhere. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome him to the CBS News team.”
It has been a busy start to 2022 for Khemlani. The CBS News president and co-head appointed Mark Lima, formerly CBS News West Coast bureau chief, the network’s Washington bureau chief. Mary Hager, executive producer of Face the Nation, will also serve as executive editor of politics and Matthew Mosk is moving from ABC News to become CBS News’ senior investigative editorial director.