Amy Walter

Amy Walter
Born
Amy Elizabeth Walter

(1969-10-19) October 19, 1969 (age 55)
EducationColby College (BA)
Occupation(s)Political analyst and journalist
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​
Children1

Amy Elizabeth Walter (born October 19, 1969)[1] is an American political analyst who is the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.[2] Since 2015, she has also served as a political analyst for the PBS News Hour. Walter specializes in forecasting and analyzing national U.S. elections.

Early life and education

Walter was raised in Barrington, Illinois, and is a 1987 graduate of Barrington High School.[3] She graduated summa cum laude from Colby College in 1991 and sits on its board of trustees.[4]

Career

Walter began working at The Cook Political Report in 1997. Between then and 2007 she served as a senior editor covering the United States House of Representatives.[2] She then served as the Editor-in-Chief at the National Journal's Hotline from 2007 to 2010.[5]

In 2010, Walter left the National Journal to serve as political director for ABC News. She worked for ABC News until 2013, when she returned to The Cook Political Report as its national editor. On July 30, 2021, upon Charlie Cook's departure, she was named editor and publisher of The Cook Political Report, and the publication was retitled The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.[6]

Walter's work has been featured in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. She has also been featured on numerous broadcasts, such as Washington Week, Face the Nation, PBS News Hour, Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, Andrea Mitchell Reports, the Daily Rundown, the Chris Matthews Show, and Meet the Press.[7] She has also made numerous appearances on Special Report with Brett Baier, both as a contributor and on the panel.

Awards and recognition

Walter's analysis has earned several accolades. In 2000, she received The Washington Post's Crystal Ball Award for her accuracy in predicting George W. Bush as the winner of that year's presidential election.[8] She was part of CNN's Emmy Award-winning coverage of the 2006 elections.[9] In 2009, Washingtonian magazine named Walter one of the 50 top journalists in DC.[10] In 2021, Washingtonian named her one of Washington’s Most Powerful Women.[11]

Walter was an inaugural fellow at the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters by Colby College, her alma mater, in 2017.[12]

Personal life

Walter married her longtime partner, author Kathryn Hamm, in 2013.[13] They adopted a son in 2006.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Profile: Amy Walter", NNDB
  2. ^ a b "Amy Walter". Cookpolitical.com. July 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  3. ^ Schoenburg, Bernard (May 14, 2016). "Rapid change helps explain wild presidential campaign". USA Today.
  4. ^ "Colby Board of Trustees". Colby College. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  5. ^ "Amy Walter". Leadingauthorities.com. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  6. ^ Cook, Charlie (July 30, 2021). "It is now official, Amy Walter is taking over the Cook Political Report". Twitter.
  7. ^ "Amy Walter". Amywalter.com. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  8. ^ "Going Out on a Certified Limb". The Washington Post. December 3, 2000. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  9. ^ "CNN scores Emmy for 2006 Election Night Coverage". CNN. September 25, 2007. Archived from the original on March 6, 2009. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  10. ^ Graff, Garrett M. (June 1, 2009). "50 Top Journalists 2009". Washingtonian. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  11. ^ Recker, Jane (October 13, 2021). "Washington's Most Powerful Women 2021". Washingtonian. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  12. ^ "Amy Walter". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  13. ^ "A Legal Wedding 2 Decades in the Making". Freedom to Marry. November 2013. Archived from the original on December 9, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  14. ^ Cantor, Wendy (13 October 2014). "Here Come the Brides". Arlington Magazine. Retrieved 28 September 2020.