Christal Hayes is a Breaking News Editor at USA TODAY and is based in Los Angeles. Christal has held multiple roles, most recently working as a national correspondent in Los Angeles. She previously covered Congress and politics, writing about everything from President Trump's two impeachments and multiple election cycles to COVID-19 recovery efforts and the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Before joining USA TODAY, Christal was part of a team of reporters who were named finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in 2017 for coverage of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Fla.