Macon Atkinson covers political and personal trends, threads and issues from a rural voter perspective during the presidential election for The Post and Courier. Prior to joining that newsroom, she worked at daily newspapers in the Carolinas and Texas, covering public safety, city politics and downtown development. She won a 2023 Sidney Hillman Foundation award for her work on “The Cost of Unity,” a project revealing the gentrifying forces behind Greenville, South Carolina’s success. Originally from Charlotte, she graduated from Appalachian State University in 2019. When she’s not working, you can find her out on a run or cooking in her kitchen.
Beat: 2024 presidential primary from a rural perspective
The beat is part of a five-person statewide politics team. The reporter is based in Greenville, a traditional Republican stronghold with an influx of new residents. South Carolina plays a significant role in the presidential primary as the First in the South. This reporter writes from a rural voters’ perspective, rather than covering stump speeches and horse races. The beat is a mix of daily and enterprise pieces layered with local, regional and state context.