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Lisa Desjardins

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Lisa Desjardins

About Lisa @LisaDNews

Lisa Desjardins is a correspondent for PBS News Hour, where she covers news from the U.S. Capitol while also traveling across the country to report on how decisions in Washington affect people where they live and work.

She specializes in breaking down complex stories and political disagreements into the key pieces that matter, often translating numbers and fiscal information into accessible stories for the audience.

Prior to joining News Hour, Desjardins spent nearly ten years with CNN as a senior correspondent and Capitol Hill reporter. Prior to CNN, she reported for the Associated Press, WBTW-TV, WIS-TV, WTS-TV, Reuters, and The Sun News. At WIS in Columbia, South Carolina, she broke news of the compromise to bring down the Confederate flag from the state house dome.

Desjardins earned a bachelor’s degree at the College of William and Mary and a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She also received a first level graduate degree in Russian Studies from the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia.

Desjardins’ reporting during and after the January 6th Capitol insurrection was the recipient of a Peabody Award, the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association Joan S. Barone Award, and the National Press Foundation’s Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress. She is also the recipient of a Peabody Award for CNN’s coverage of the 2008 election and a Society of Professional Journalists’ Sigma Delta Chi award for national breaking news for coverage of the Haiti earthquake.

Full Bio

Lisa’s Recent Stories

Nation Aug 20

Why primary polls appear to be so inaccurate this year

Results in some high-profile races this primary season have differed greatly from public opinion polls. In the Michigan Senate Democratic primary, progressive Abdul El-Sayed had double-digit leads in polling but won over Haley Stevens by just one point. Lisa Desjardins…

Politics Aug 19

What the Florida and Alaska primary results mean for November

An upset win by a progressive candidate leads a host of headlines from Tuesday's primaries. In the Senate primary, Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon trounced more moderate Democrat Alex Vindman, even though he spent far more money. In Alaska, Democrat…

Politics Aug 19

7 questions about the national debt hitting $40 trillion

There is a lot to unpack about the national debt. Here's a starter guide to what's happening with the national debt right now.

Nation Aug 17

National debt nears $40 trillion: How we got here and why it matters

The national debt is expected to hit a record high as soon as this week, crossing a major threshold of $40 trillion. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins explains why that milestone is a warning sign for many economists.

Nation Aug 11

The effectiveness and cost of the National Guard deployment in D.C.

It has now been one year since President Trump declared a “crime emergency” in the nation’s capital and deployed thousands of members of the National Guard to its streets. Questions continue to mount over the mission’s cost, its legality and…

Politics Aug 07

Blanche on track for narrow Senate confirmation as attorney general

At the U.S. Capitol, it was a wild day of decision and indecision. The Senate passed the toughest sanctions bill on Russia yet and is also now on track to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general. But a slew of…

Politics Aug 04

Senate faces long to-do list and little time before recess

The Senate is just days away from taking its month-long August recess, but Congress is also rapidly running out of time to avoid a government shutdown this fall and handle a host of other items. Lawmakers are scrambling to take…

Politics Aug 04

4 questions about the high-stakes Michigan Democratic primary

What matters to Michigan voters right now? Here's what we found.

Nation Aug 03

Sen. Moreno calls on ex-son-in-law Rep. Miller to resign amid domestic abuse allegations

Ohio’s senior Senator is calling for an Ohio congressman, who is also his former son-in-law, to drop his re-election bid and resign from office. Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno called GOP Rep. Max Miller "a danger to my daughter." Allegations and…

Nation Aug 03

Contentious Michigan Senate primary divides Democrats over direction of party

In Michigan, Democrats will make a decision about the shape of their party. The contentious Senate primary is a match between different wings and candidates with very different styles. Lisa Desjardins traveled to Michigan and reports on the contest between…

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