Senior writer at @illuminatorLA; Previously: @stlpublicradio, @NOLANews, @MedillSchool, @macalester; D.C. native; @capitals forever
Baton Rouge
Joined August 2011
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In Louisiana, rape survivors are denied access to their own medical records.
lailluminator.com/2021/12/16…
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
Judge Penny Brown Reynolds, a LaPlace native and East St. John High School graduate, made history as Georgia's first Black woman elected secretary of state.
Judge Reynolds also starred in a TV show in the 2000s.
wwltv.com/article/news/polit…
.@LAGovJeffLandry's administration distributes computers to rural areas, community colleges. Story from @elise_plunk #lalege #lagov
lailluminator.com/2026/11/10…
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
Scott Colom’s lead has increased to 3,176 votes over Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith with 98% of the vote counted. ow.ly/w4zs5105Scm
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
Mississippi Senate race update:
Dem Scott Colom leads GOP Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by 3,041 votes. We expect Hinds County, one of the largest counties and a heavily Democratic county, to release its affidavit ballot results today.
I'm going on CNN shortly to discuss the latest!
Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan (not Steve Scalise) will succeed Rep. Mike Johnson from Louisiana in GOP party leadership in the U.S. House. Story from @ArianaLFigueroa and @ShauneenMiranda
lailluminator.com/2026/11/10… #lalege #lagpv
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
Almost 20% of rape kits in Louisiana never make it to a crime lab, state audit finds lailluminator.com/2026/11/10… (from @JSODonoghue) #lalege
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
New Orleans will host the national championship game for the first 24-team CFP on Jan. 24, 2028.
For Louisiana's Congressional runoff elections, voters chose to run two conservative Democrats.
Pat Moore and Chauna Banks have both voted against LGBTQ+ protections and oppose abortion. #lalege
lailluminator.com/2026/11/09…
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
#LSU has reinstated a law professor that it removed from the classroom for making political comments critical of Gov. Jeff Landry in early 2025. #lalege #lagov
lailluminator.com/2026/11/06…
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
I’m appearing on CNN soon to discuss the latest with the Mississippi Senate race. If you care to hear me discuss the election and what it means for my home state, feel free to tune in!
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
Come to Mississippi for about a week, and you’ll start to say “It’s wild Mississippi has no law governing ___” for lots of things.
This is WILD. Mississippi has no law governing a recount?!
Story from @MSTODAYnews
mississippitoday.org/2026/11…
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
Jamie Davis’ narrow loss to U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, has given Louisiana Democrats hope they could unseat a slate of Republican statewide elected officials next year, including Gov. Jeff Landry. #lalege #lagov
lailluminator.com/2026/11/05…
A carpenter in Waterproof told me they rebuilt the polling place recently and it is used exclusively for elections. (It's the size of a modest bedroom.)
FWIW: It may be Jamie Davis' polling place. Pretty close to his house. #lalege
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
.@DKChappell, conservative uncle of @ChappellRoan, chosen Majority Leader of the Missouri House #moleg
I stopped in Natchez (Mississippi) for dinner and I'm tempted to run up to every person and say ...
"WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SENATE RACE?"
But I'm controlling myself. #lalege
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
Texas may never be the same.
nytimes.com/2026/11/04/us/te…
This is WILD. Mississippi has no law governing a recount?!
Story from @MSTODAYnews
mississippitoday.org/2026/11…
Julie O'Donoghue retweeted
Sen. Bill Cassidy: “Everybody's talking about last night. Last night was about accountability. The people of the United States want accountability. They want to see results. They want to see their life better as a result of the people whom they elect.” #lalege #lagov
ALT A man in a suit gestures as he speaks at a podium. Several other men in suits stand behind him.