Joey Safchik is the political reporter at NBC 7 San Diego, leading the station’s coverage of the local, state, and national decisions that impact San Diegans every day. From City Hall to Sacramento to Washington, D.C., she delivers clear, accountable reporting that helps viewers understand how policy and politics affect their lives.
She graduated with honors from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in 2021 and is the recipient of five student Emmy Awards. Upon graduation, Joey worked as a reporter and investigative reporter at KETV in Omaha, Nebraska, where she covered education, politics, severe weather — and the occasional tornado. Her reporting shed light on injustices within the prison system and inequities affecting students in special education programs, earning her a Great Plains Journalism Award for feature storytelling.
While at Northwestern, Joey served for several years as news director of the Northwestern News Network and earned both of Medill’s prestigious broadcast journalism awards. Her early career experience also includes internships at NBC Nightly News in the Los Angeles bureau, KGET-TV in Bakersfield, and ABC 7 Chicago. She also spent a quarter reporting in Washington, D.C., and gained international reporting experience in the Middle East.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Joey is proud to be back near the sun and shore, telling stories that matter to Southern California communities. She welcomes story ideas — and is always happy to swap book recommendations.
The Latest
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Republicans don't want to relinquish this seat, and their candidate wants a less partisan board
Rebecca Jones could prevent a Democratic supermajority on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.
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Can this Democrat strengthen the supermajority in Sacramento? | Politically Speaking
Former San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott is running to replace Brian Jones, the Senate Minority Leader who is terming out. If she is elected, she’d bolster the Democrats’ supermajority in Sacramento. She joined NBC 7 Political Reporter Joey Safchik on Politically Speaking this week.
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Is County Supervisor District 5 flippable? | Politically Speaking
Jim Desmond has been a faithful conservative on the County Board, but his seat is up for grabs as he terms out and runs for congress. The district is competitive, as registration has moved to the left in recent years. Kyle Krahel, former chair of the San Diego Democrats, is running for the seat and spoke with NBC 7’s Joey...
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With strong El Niño brewing, emergency leaders urge San Diegans to prepare for floods
San Diego residents were urged to take precautions ahead of potential flooding from a strong El Niño.
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Could Richard Bailey be the first non-Democrat to sit on the San Diego city council in years?
The San Diego City Council races were especially expensive this primary season, and the one garnering the most attention heading into the general is the race to replace Jen Campbell in District 2. Richard Bailey, the former mayor of Coronado, is running for the seat as an independent. He spoke with NBC 7 Political Reporter Joey Safchik on Politically Speaking this week.
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San Diego Dem Chair believes the party will flip Congressional District 48
Democrats have only three months to win over voters. In San Diego, their chief concern is flipping Congressional District 48, a vital win if they hope to take back the House. San Diego Democrats Chair Will Rodriguez-Kennedy joined NBC 7 Political Reporter Joey Safchik on Politically Speaking this week to talk about the party’s priorities.
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Sacramento's highest-ranking Republican looks back on his tenure in the Statehouse
After 16 years in the legislature, Brian Jones is terming out of his state senate seat. He’s the highest-ranking Republican in Sacramento, but his seat is still highly competitive. He joined NBC 7’s Joey Safchik on Politically Speaking to discuss how he’s fighting for his fellow Republicans to bring more balance to California’s statehouse.
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‘The largest threat to American democracy': UCSD political scientist on election security & trust ahead of midterms
Election officials don’t want you to have blind trust. They appreciate a healthy dose of skepticism and want you to ask questions. But once presented with the facts, they hope you will have faith in a process that, according to political scientist Thad Kousser, keeps democracy alive. Kousser runs UCSD’s Center for Transparent and Trusted Elections. He sat down with...
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Terra Lawson-Remer on making San Diego livable for the next generation
County Supervisor Chair Terra Lawson-Remer (and 7-week-old Esh Zoriya) joined NBC 7’s Joey Safchik on Politically Speaking this week to discuss federal funding cuts, a potential sales tax increase and inspecting an ICE detention facility.
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Paloma Aguirre's first year tackling the sewage crisis as a County Supervisor
One year after she was elected, County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre is talking about the federal funding cuts, the county budget and the sewage crisis on Politically Speaking with NBC 7’s Joey Safchik.
