Ruth Allyn Marcus (born May 15, 1958) is an American political commentator and journalist who currently writes an op-ed column for The Washington Post and serves as the Deputy Editorial Page Editor for the newspaper. In March 2007, she was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. Unusual among the majority of journalists, she is also a law school graduate, although she opted to continue with a career in journalism versus practicing law as an attorney. Ideologically and politically, she identifies as a liberal and is registered as an Independent. Biography Background and education Marcus was born in Philadelphia in 1958 and grew up in a Jewish family in Livingston, New Jersey. Both her parents were pharmacists. She attended school in Livingston with and has remained a close friend of fellow columnist Mona Charen. She studied at Yale University where she wrote for the college newspaper. Career Harvard Law School After receiving her Yale B.A. degree, Marcus wrote for the National Law Journal, before attending Harvard Law School, from which she received her J.D. degree in 1984. The Washington Post Marcus began writing for The Washington Post while still in law school, and formally joined the paper after graduation. From her Washington Post biography: Marcus has been with The Post since 1984. She joined the national staff in 1986, covering campaign finance, the Justice Department, the Supreme Court and the White House. From 1999 through 2002, she served as deputy national editor, supervising reporters who covered money and politics, Congress, the Supreme Court, and other national issues. She joined the editorial board in 2003 and began writing a regular column in 2006. Works Supreme Ambition: Brett Kavanaugh and the Conservative Takeover, Simon & Schuster (December 3, 2019) Personal life Marcus is married to former Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz, a Democrat. The couple have two daughters, Emma and Julia. References External links Ruth Marcus at The Washington Post C-SPAN Q&A interview with Marcus and Mona Charen, July 9, 2006 C-SPAN Q&A interview with Marcus and Mona Charen, April 12, 2009 1958 births Living people 20th-century American journalists 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American journalists 21st-century American women writers American columnists Harvard Law School alumni Jewish American journalists Journalists from New Jersey Journalists from Pennsylvania MSNBC people NBC News people People from Livingston, New Jersey The Washington Post people American women columnists Yale University alumni