The New Republic’s New Boss by Lizzie Widdicombe

Hughes appears to be a certified liberal, much to the relief of most of the magazine’s staff, alumni, and readers. Though he has been involved in some forms of activism—he ran the social media operation for the 2008 Obama campaign, and his significant other, Sean Eldridge, is the former political director of the same-sex marriage advocacy group Freedom To Marry—his comments on the direction of the magazine have been non-ideological, heavier on tech-world jargon than political talking points. On the phone from the airport, he spoke of “meeting thoughtful, intelligent people in the media space,” “integrating platforms,” and “mission-driven startups.” His reading includes both the Huffington Post and The Economist. “I wouldn’t say I’m a political junkie in the way that some people are,” he said. “I try to read about political issues of the day, but also cultural criticism, good books, and good music.” His past year’s reading included biographies of Katharine Graham and Henry Luce.