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Jennifer Harper

Jennifer Harper

A graduate of Syracuse University, Jennifer Harper writes the daily Inside the Beltway column and provides additional coverage of breaking national news, plus long-term trends in politics, media issues, public opinion, popular culture, Hollywood foibles and “eureka” moments in health and science.

She has been a frequent broadcast commentator on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, C-SPAN, Voice of America, Citadel Broadcasting, Talk Radio Network and other news organizations. Born in Elizabeth, N.J., Ms. Harper grew up in Texas and arrived in Washington in time for Watergate -- and has been tracking the political and media landscape ever since.

She is an active member of the American Federation of TV Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild. She has won 14 journalism awards during her years at The Washington Times.

To read Jennifer Harper's Inside the Beltway columns, click here. Contact her at jharper@washingtontimes.com.

Articles by Jennifer Harper

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott attends a briefing about the border at the Texas Department of Public Safety in Eagle Pass, Texas on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

Texas voters standing with Abbott on border security

"A majority of Texas voters support making it harder for migrants fleeing violence in their home countries to seek asylum in the U.S., while majorities also support many of the controversial measures undertaken by Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature in response to the situation at the southern border that have received significant national attention this winter," according to a University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll. Published February 28, 2024

Migrants wait to be processed by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol after they crossed the Rio Grande and entered the U.S. from Mexico, Oct. 19, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Border security surges to the front of the public’s attention

"Significantly more Americans name immigration as the most important problem facing the U.S. (28%) than did a month ago (20%). Immigration has now passed the government as the most often cited problem, after the two issues tied for the top position the past two months. The government ranked first each month from January through November 2023," wrote Jeffrey M. Jones, senior editor for Gallup. Published February 27, 2024

During the Allied invasion of the Normandy region in France, American soldiers race across a dirt road while they are under enemy fire, near St. Lo, in July 1944. The D-Day invasion that helped change the course of World War II was unprecedented in scale and audacity. (Pool via AP, File)

80th anniversary of key World War II battles sets up tour opportunities

Friends of the National World War II Memorial in the nation's capital offer some unusual and enlightening travel experiences -- including the "Last Battles Tour," set to explore key battlefields in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany. Published February 26, 2024

This May 9, 2014, photo shows the South Portico of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

Biden approval rating for third year ‘second worst’ among post-WWII presidents

It's an ongoing challenge for the White House, perhaps. New presidential approval ratings continue to sink into the tepid zone. "Americans' approval of President Joe Biden's job performance has edged down three percentage points to 38%, just one percentage point shy of his all-time low and well below the 50% threshold that has typically led to reelection for incumbents," reports Megan Brenan, a research consultant for Gallup. Published February 25, 2024

President Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., listen. (Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

Biden’s big reset

President Biden is to deliver the State of the Union address on March 7. Some news organizations are already wondering if the event will be a positive "reset" for the president and his public messaging in these complex times. Published February 20, 2024

President Biden walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Biden governing like a reluctant president

"This election year, we have an octogenarian president who keeps insisting he is the only man for the job yet acting like an absentee landlord of the country he's supposed to lead,'" Fox News contributor Joe Concha said. Published February 19, 2024

Fans encounter Donald Trump at a voter rally in Ohio during his campaign for president in 2016. (Associated Press)

‘We were just better off’ under Trump, Tim Scott says

"What we need to know is that under President Trump, we were just better off. World peace -- think about this. Before President Trump, there was an incursion in Ukraine. After President Trump, a war in Ukraine," Sen. Tim Scott told "Fox News Sunday" anchor Shannon Bream. Published February 18, 2024

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists — who have intercepted over 1 billion cut flower arrivals since Jan. 1. The challenge? They must search the leaves, stems and blossoms of all these leafy arrivals for pests and diseases that could seriously harm U.S. agricultural and floral industries. (AP PHOTO)

Three cheers for U.S. Customs and Border Protection for its flower work

A round of applause, please, for the agriculture specialists at U.S. Customs and Border Protection -- who have monitored over 1 billion cut-flower arrivals since Jan. 1. The challenge? They must search the leaves, stems and blossoms of all these leafy arrivals for pests and diseases that could harm U.S. agricultural and floral industries. Published February 14, 2024

Valentine's Day balloons are displayed at a retail store in Buffalo Grove, Ill., Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Inflation hitting the Valentine economy hard, too

"Valentine's Day is returning to its romantic traditions, with total spending on significant others for the holiday expected to reach a record $14.2 billion," reports an annual assessment of the heartfelt trends released Jan. 29 by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. But wait. Inflation also has arrived for the holiday. Published February 13, 2024

People wait to vote in person at Reed High School in Sparks, Nev., prior to polls closing on Nov. 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Scott Sonner, File)

Support slipping for adding Election Day to the annual holiday list

"Americans have long supported making Election Day a national holiday. But support for this has risen in recent years, from 65% in 2018 to 72% today. Currently, 78% of Democrats and 68% of Republicans favor this," a Pew Research Center poll says. Published February 12, 2024

Presidential historian and acclaimed Reagan biographer Craig Shirley has completed his sixth book on Ronald Reagan. It’s titled “The Search for Reagan: The Appealing Intellectual Conservatism of Ronald Reagan” and will be published Tuesday by Post Hill Press. (Image courtesy of Post Hill Press)

Shirley’s latest biography, ‘The Search for Reagan,’ out this week

Noted presidential historian and acclaimed biographer Craig Shirley has completed his sixth book on Ronald Reagan. It's titled "The Search for Reagan: The Appealing Intellectual Conservatism of Ronald Reagan" and will be published Tuesday by Post Hill Press. Published February 11, 2024

A coalition of conservative and free-market organizations have released a letter which opposes the Fiscal Commission Act (H.R. 5779). Simply put, the legislation would “establish a commission on fiscal responsibility and reform,” according to the bill itself — and requires both the House and the Senate to address the $34 trillion national debt. (AP PHOTO)

Conservative groups warn against deficit commission as a ‘tax trap’

A coalition of conservative and free-market organizations have released a letter opposing the Fiscal Commission Act. According to the bill's text, the legislation would "establish a commission on fiscal responsibility and reform" and require both the House and the Senate to address the $34 trillion national debt. Published February 8, 2024

Voters fill in their ballots at Precinct 5 at Wood Activity & Therapeutic Center in Clinton, Miss., during the general election, Nov. 7, 2023. (Barbara Gauntt/The Clarion-Ledger via AP, file)

Last-minute 2020 election changes encouraged voter fraud

"Mail-in voting fraud likely changed the outcome of the 2020 election ... in 2020, mail-in voting reached an all-time record due to pandemic policies encouraging" the practice, according to the Heartland Institute, a nonprofit group that promotes free-market solutions to social and economic problems. Published February 7, 2024

Caption: Border Patrol Deputy Chief for the Tucson Sector Justin De La Torre walks along the U.S.-Mexico border fence, on Aug. 29, 2023, in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument near Lukeville, Ariz. Republicans are saying the open U.S. border is becoming a threat to the nation’s existence. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

Democrats’ open-border policy becoming a national threat

"Today's liberal/progressive Democrats who control their party want to destroy America as we know it. Don't ignore the obvious. Don't ignore what they say. Don't ignore who they empower. This is a dangerous situation and only America's voters can fix this," writes Saul Anuzis, former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party and current president of 60 Plus Association, a seniors advocacy group. Published February 4, 2024

A Newsbusters.org analysis of broadcast coverage suggests that major networks were reluctant to criticize the White House during the ongoing hostage crisis in the Middle East. (AP Photo)

Coverage of Hamas-held U.S. hostages called selective, aimed at shielding Biden

"So with six American hostages still being held captive by Hamas, how much time (in just the month of January) have the networks aired blaming President Joe Biden and his administration for not having brought them home? Just 28 seconds," said Geoffrey Dickens, director of media analysis for Newsbusters.org, a conservative press watchdog. Published February 1, 2024