• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, January 7, 2016

With the 2016 presidential contest already in full swing, The Atlantic is seeking to capitalize on its momentum with a major expansion of its coverage of politics and policy across multiple platforms, including new live events. The announcement is timed to coincide with its January-February issue, “Election 2016,” previewing the presidential race.

The expanded coverage will include a number of subjects outside the typical definition of politics and policy, but which are relevant to the discussion. They include the shape of American families, the growing role of technology in everyday life and the causes of poverty.

The Atlantic will also beef up its coverage of more directly related subjects, including the White House, agencies, Congress, defense and lobbying.

As part of the expansion, The Atlantic revealed a redesigned Politics & Policy section on its Web site. It also unveiled a new feature, “2016 Distilled,” which provides readers with an interactive resource for election news, including a poll tracker, candidate “cheat sheets,” “media mentions” tracking TV coverage, campaign schedules and a “Gaffe Track” tallying blunders.

The magazine is also continuing the publication of “The Edge,” a daily political newsletter previously published by sister pub National Journal.

The new coverage will be spearheaded by an expanded editorial team covering politics and policy, which is tripling in size with the addition of veteran reporters and analysts, including Sacha Zimmerman, Nora Kelly, Clare Foran, Priscilla Alvarez, Marina Koren, Andrew McGill and Michelle Cottle.

The editorial content is tied into a number of new events produced by AtlanticLIVE, the publisher’s events division, including new events in Washington, D.C., under the aegis of the Washington Ideas Forum. They are produced in partnership with the Aspen Institute, as well as a series of events planned for both parties’ conventions.