Rachel Cohen of the Federal News Network claimed the championship trophy during the National Press Club’s 2026 Press & Politicians Spelling Bee, securing victory for Team Press over Team Politicians in one of the Club’s longest running traditions.
The annual event brings together members of Congress and journalists for a friendly but fierce test of spelling skills, featuring words drawn from literature, history, science, culture and language.
Cohen secured the championship trophy after correctly spelling “amblyopia” the medical term for what is commonly known as “lazy eye.” Her victory helped Team Press earn a 25-21 point win over Team Politicians.
Team Politicians featured Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan, Rep. Kevin Kiley of California, Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois, and Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio. Representing the press were Kelly Chase of BBC News, Angela Greiling Keane of CNBC, Alex Clearfield of Bloomberg Law, Katie Vogel of The Associated Press, and Cohen.
Stepping in as a substitute competitor for Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, the reigning champion and a two-time winner of the competition who was unable to participate, was Shannon Kennedy, a senior Office Associate at TKR Advisors.
The competition was judged by Shray Parikh, 13, the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion, while longtime Scripps official Dr. Brian Cetsima served as pronouncer.
The contest remained close throughout the early rounds, with both teams trading points before the press gradually pulled ahead in the later stages. Contestants faced increasingly difficult words with roots in Latin, Greek, French, Japanese and more.
Words that shaped the competition:
Several competitors were eliminated by highly specialized words as the contest narrowed toward its final rounds.
Daguerreotype, an early photographic process developed in the 19th century, ended Rep. Hillary Scholten’s run.
Florilegium, a collection of selected literary excerpts or writings, eliminated Rep. Marcy Kaptur.
Diplodocus, a species of long-necked dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period, brought an end to 2024 bee champion Alex Clearfield’s campaign.
Elysium, the resting place of blessed souls in Greek and Roman mythology, eliminated Angela Greiling Keane.
Ankylosaur, an armored dinosaur from the Cretaceous period, ended Rep. Sean Casten’s run.
Duomo, the Italian term for a city’s principal cathedral, eliminated Rep. Kevin Kiley.
Akamatsu, a species of Japanese pine tree, ended Katie Vogel’s strong run deep into the competition.
By the final rounds, Cohen was the last contestant standing before clinching the title with the correct spelling of “amblyopia.”
Speaking with the National Press Club Journalism Institute after the competition, Cohen said she did not expect the evening to end with a championship trophy.
“It’s always fun to be the last person standing,” she said.
The event traces its roots back to 1913, when the National Press Club hosted its first spelling bee between journalists and politicians. President Woodrow Wilson attended that inaugural competition, which was won by the politicians. A century later, the Club’s Young Members Committee revived the tradition in 2013.
In a post-event interview, Cohen told the National Press Club Journalism Institute that part of the event’s appeal is that it offers a rare opportunity for people in Washington to come together outside the political arena.
“I think it’s nice to have a tradition in Washington that doesn’t really have to do with politics,” Cohen said. “It’s just people coming together to have fun and try to be smart.”
Before this year’s competition, Team Press held a 6-4 advantage over Team Politicians. Their 2026 victory added another win to the journalists’ side of the ledger.
The evening benefited the work of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, the Club’s nonprofit affiliate that provides training, resources and support for journalists and communicators, while also standing with journalists facing threats, harassment and other barriers to their work.
Attendees were invited to support the Institute’s programs during the event, helping sustain its work with journalists and communicators across the United States and around the world.
As the evening came to a close, Cohen added her name to the list of individual champions, while Team Press continued its winning tradition in one of the National Press Club’s most distinctive annual events.