To help our readers get to know the people that power our newsroom, we host live Twitter conversations called #TheInsideStory on our @InsiderInc account with reporters and editors from our Business, Life, and News sections.

We recently caught up with Kimberly Leonard, Policy and Politics Correspondent, to learn more about her experience reporting on politics and to see what she is focusing on leading up to the 2022 midterm elections. Be sure to follow Kimberly on Twitter @leonardkl and check out her page on Insider.

Thanks so much for joining today’s Q&A @leonardkl. Before we get started, can you tell us more about your role here at @thisisinsider? #TheInsideStory

I’ve been a journalist for more than 12 years, and most of my career was spent reporting on healthcare policy out of Washington, DC. A year ago I made a big change to focus on politics — I even moved to Florida, the “Shadow Capital” for the GOP.

Much of my reporting is focused on the midterms and the 2024 elections. I write about @GovRonDeSantis, @marcorubio, @CharlieCrist, @valdemings and former President Trump.

I also was one of the lead reporters for Insider’s “Conflicted Congress” investigation, where we combed through thousands of financial disclosures to uncover lawmakers’ conflicts of interests and their flouting the STOCK Act.

Insider’s award-winning “Conflicted Congress”

The “Conflicted Congress” project won the @spj_tweets Sunshine award for @thisisinsider alongside others.

It seems safe to say that you're in the midst of all the action, no matter where you're located. A huge "congrats" is in order for the Sunshine Award, as well! Can you share more about what sparked your interest in policy and politics?

I fell in love with journalism in college at @urichmond. I would bring a newspaper into my biology lab courses and hide it under my desk. It didn’t take me long to ditch my pre-med and public health plans in favor of becoming a journalist.

I was drawn in by one of the callings of journalism: Reporting information people need to know to participate in their communities, including through voting.

The first election I covered was as a student journalist, the cycle @BarackObama won the presidency in 2009. When I was starting out I crawled under bushes to cover one of Obama's smaller events in a park, when I was told they were at capacity. I still do this kind of thing now, all these years later.

I've always been fascinated by policy and the way it can change people's lives or influence behavior.

Now that's dedication, and it makes for a great story! Prior to moving to Florida, you lived in DC where you reported on politics. Can you tell us about your experience in both areas and how they differ?

When I was in DC, I never reported a story while sitting in front of a massive python snake in the Everglades — at least not literally!

In DC, reporters spend a lot of time in the hallways of Congress. I loved that part of the job, but you get a whole different side of lawmakers when you bump into them at events or in their district. They open up more.

Also, when I was in DC I didn’t realize the sheer amount of wealth that bankrolls campaigns. It’s one thing to read about it on paper, but it’s a whole different story to show up at a fundraiser in person, to see how some very wealthy and powerful people live.

Being on the ground in Florida helps me understand the issues people care about in this state. My goal is to serve both Florida readers and a national audience.

It's great to learn more about your journey and seeing how it brought you to where you are today. Circling back to DC and "Conflicted Congress," can you talk more about the project's significance and how it sparked legislative action?

We found numerous examples of conflicts of interest. As just one example, here’s investments in defense companies by lawmakers who hold powerful positions on a pair of House and Senate committees that control US military policy.

Lawmakers also invest in companies that delivered the COVID-19 vaccines.

Elected officials aren’t alone. We combed through thousands of documents — largely in a basement during the COVID pandemic — to reveal that senior staffers were also violating the STOCK Act.

In this story we write how hard it was to get the documents about the staffers.

It really is awesome to hear about the work and effort that went into this project and the challenges you overcame. It shows the impact of powerful reporting. Can you provide more examples of some of your biggest accomplishments at @thisisinsider?

I loved writing this story about how the brain changes with age. This is part of Insider’s Red, White, and Gray series about how age affects our politics.

**How the mind of an 80-year-old president is biologically different from a 45-year-old president's**

When Florida made it illegal to have an abortion after 15 weeks into a pregnancy, I wrote a story about how it would affect the South.

At Insider, we have also been writing about Congress as a workplace. I examined with colleagues how congressional and district staff often are pressured to work overtime on campaigns for free.

The midterm elections are around the corner, and there are tons of storylines and topics to pay attention to this year. In your opinion, what are some of the most important to focus on?

Here in Florida the big question is whether the Sunshine State is still a swing state. Signs point to it being a red state now. The answer will come when we see the margins for Gov. DeSantis, if he wins as polls predict.

I’ll be evaluating which issues resonated most with voters: Whether Democrats’ worries about the future of Democracy, abortion rights, and gun violence — or whether voters were drawn toward the GOP’s focus on high prices, immigration, and crime.

If Republicans have a “red wave,” they’ll be under more pressure to govern. Biden would veto some measures, but a lot of the GOP votes in the two years ahead will be symbolic, to show what they could achieve with a GOP president. What will those be?

As soon as the 2022 race is over we will immediately be jumping into the 2024 presidential race. Here in Florida some potentials for the GOP nomination are Trump, DeSantis, Sen. Rick Scott, Rubio, and Miami Mayor Suarez.

It’ll also be interesting to see what happens during the second half of @POTUS's first term. If Republicans are in the majority, what are some ways they can work with the administration?

Fears about a recession loom. Is there anything our elected leaders will do to help? How will it affect the 2024 election?

We'll keep a close eye on the outcomes and are looking forward to seeing your findings and insights after the elections. What do you think are some of the key challenges facing politicians in the elections right now?

Security is a concern for a lot of politicians, particularly after January 6 and the most recent violent attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

For Republicans, Trump continues to loom large. Numerous others want to run for president, but the consensus has been that Trump would win the nomination again.

**How Donald Trump could win the White House again in 2024**

These are effective examples of how the conversation surrounding politics never stops, and it can be hard to keep up with all the changes. How do you choose which angles to focus on?

I try to focus on areas where I have the most expertise because that’s where I can often serve readers best in a fast-paced environment. I naturally gravitate toward social and healthcare policy in stories because my background is there.

I also pay attention to what readers want to know about. For instance, we know there’s a lot of curiosity about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, so I’ve been covering him more closely than a lot of other Florida politicians.

How do you source your latest (and accurate) information?

I spend time texting and calling sources, not necessarily for an immediate story, but just to be able to stay engaged and to make sure I’m not missing anything.

A lot of reporting these days is done over email and text, but picking up the phone to cold call is still the best way to stumble upon news I don’t expect.

It’s important for me to approach everything I’m told with skepticism. I spend a lot of time reading others’ work but also reading studies and polling myself.

I enjoy listening to podcasts for news nuggets. Several influencers appear on podcasts and will provide far more information than they will in a 5-minute cable hit.

Great tips and tricks here! We're sure you're implementing these tactics in preparation for next week, too. Can you tell us more about your plans for election night?

I plan to be in Tampa, where @GovRonDeSantis is having a large event as the election results come in. The day before the election I plan to interview people from his hometown in Dunedin, Florida.

We've had a blast chatting with you today and getting to know more about you. Before we let you go, can you tell us what's your favorite part about working at @thisisinsider?

My favorite part of working at @thisisinsider is being able to have a wide range of work — from quick takeaways at campaign stops, to appearing in videos, to deep-dive investigative reporting. The variety helps me grow as a writer and keeps my brain stimulated.

Kimberly, thanks so much for joining today’s #TwitterChat and telling us more about you and your coverage. Be sure to follow @leonardkl and check out her page on Insider to get the latest on all-things policy and politics.

"I was drawn in by one of the callings of journalism: Reporting information people need to know." Twitter Q&A with Policy and Politics Correspondent, Kimberly Leonard