Reis’s Pieces

The New York Times has a new Southwest correspondent – and Arizona is sure to keep him busy.

by Jimmy Magahern | Photo by Angelina Aragon

When Reis Thebault landed in Phoenix in February as The New York Times’ new Southwest correspondent, he says he quickly grasped why the country’s newspaper of record wanted a reporter based in its fifth-most populous city.

“You think about all the issues that are roiling America right now. They’re not only present in Arizona, but they’re magnified,” he says, pointing to voting rights, immigration, climate pressures and resource debates unfolding against “a very competitive political backdrop.”

Thebault, 32, comes to the role from The Washington Post, where he covered both Washington, D.C., and, after relocating to Los Angeles, the West Coast. His move to the Times was already in the works before last year’s wave of newsroom layoffs at the Post, but it also reflects a broader shift: national outlets planting more reporters in the places they’re covering. “We are continuing to try to cover more of America from America,” he says.

He’s reported from Arizona before – covering the 2022 midterms – but now, living in Central Phoenix, he’s approaching the region with what he calls “fresh eyes.” And what he sees is a part of the country that doesn’t always get the attention it warrants. “The Southwest is pretty under-covered on a national scale,” he says. “There are a lot of good stories – more than any one reporter can cover.”

This year, much of his focus will be political, tracking high-stakes races in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico (see sidebar). But the deeper national stories that run straight through Arizona, he says, are hard to miss: immigration, rapid growth, data centers and – especially – water.

“I think people back East underestimate the importance of water to the Southwest,” he says. “In some of the communities here, that’s a real threat.”

Maybe. But the bigger knock on East Coast coverage hasn’t been neglect – it’s distance. The Times and the Post have covered Arizona’s water anxieties before, but often from 30,000 feet, casting communities like Rio Verde Foothills as shorthand for a looming crisis while smoothing over the messy, hyperlocal realities underneath. Now based in Phoenix, Thebault will be writing from inside that complexity.

He’s also discovering a side of Phoenix that doesn’t always make the national narrative. “I don’t think it gets enough credit for how outdoorsy of a city it is,” he says, noting its easy access to mountains and trails. “People talk about the freeways and the suburbs, but when you land here, you see it’s surrounded by mountains. It’s beautiful.”

For Thebault, the value of being based here is simple: “ChatGPT cannot travel to rural Arizona and ask people questions like a reporter can.” In an era of algorithm-driven feeds and AI-generated content, he says audiences are looking for something more real.

“There’s a real hunger for authenticity now,” he says. “I think people are gravitating toward the tangible.”

On The Times’ Radar

From elections to water, the Southwest’s biggest stories are already lining up for Thebault:

2026 Elections

A “big political year,” with Arizona races and contests in Nevada and New Mexico leading coverage.

Immigration & the Border

A constant Southwest issue, with shifting policy and real-world impacts. “Competitive politics here raises the stakes of those storylines.”

Water Issues & the Colorado River

Thebault points to ongoing tensions over the Colorado River Compact and the very real risk of shortages in some communities. “People don’t get that in New York.”

Data Centers & Resources

AI-driven growth is straining water and energy – and drawing pushback. “I think that will be one of the foremost civic battles of this next generation here.”

Overlooked Culture

“But I also really like the food in Phoenix!” Thebault adds, hoping to cover that, too. “I’m becoming a bit of an evangelist for the food scene here.”