Ellen Liberman, a contributing editor and writer for the magazine, spent several months interviewing Shekarchi, widely considered the most powerful lawmaker in the state.

The cover story is available now on newsstands.

Her reporting explores Shekarchi’s personal life, follows his career in law and politics and offers a behind-the-scenes look at his role during a tense gun reform debate at the State House last June.

"When I met him in the morning, he said to me, 'It's gun day'," Liberman said. "And I was like, 'OK, there's my lead right there.'"

Liberman also had a front-row seat to Shekarchi’s internal debate over whether to run for Rhode Island governor.

"Joe is cautious," Liberman said. "If he runs, I don't think he wants to lose. Not that anyone who runs wants to lose, but I think he really doesn't."

As of Monday, the speaker had not made a decision, but he told “Behind the Story” co-host Kim Kalunian he plans to decide by the end of March.

• Wall Street firm gets $20M payday in Pawtucket stadium deal; officials cite long-term savings by Eli Sherman, 12 News
• How AI-generated images complicated the Brown shooting investigation by Alexa Gagosz, The Boston Globe

• R.I. lawmakers are back in action on Tuesday. Here’s what awaits them. by Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current
• What happens if Narragansett Bay freezes over? Here are tales from history. by Antonia Noori Farza, The Providence Journal

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

• How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.

Tim White and Ted Nesi for years have covered politics on all levels and together they moderate some of the most highly watched political debates each year.

The duo discussed the current state of affairs in the much-anticipated 2026 gubernatorial race for Democrats and Republicans, and analyze the value of polls in political reporting.

White and Nesi, who also host the political affairs show "Newsmakers," also talked about what goes into preparing for debates, how they think about the value of those discussions and what affect they can have on a candidate's position in a race.

Later in the show, White and Nesi, along with host Eli Sherman, discussed "The Stories We Wish We Wrote," including:

• Touro Synagogue fight leads to painful rupture, separate services by Antonia Noori Farzan and Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal

• Gubernatorial candidates are split on proposed overhaul of R.I. public records law by Edward Fitzpatrick, Boston Globe
• Did Taylor Swift pay off a bride to get her wedding date? Ocean House pours cold water on the latest rumor by Steph Machado, Boston Globe

• Blood Feuds: The Fight Over Who Gets to Be Native American by Bill Donahue, Boston Magazine

Watch “Behind the Story” Thursdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on the WPRI 12+ TV app.

• How to download the free WPRI 12+ smart TV app

It airs on TV (Sundays at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence), and will be available on demand through the WPRI 12+ app and right here on WPRI.com.

“Behind the Story” is hosted by Eli Sherman and Kim Kalunian of 12 News, along with Dan McGowan of the Boston Globe.

In a special edition of "Behind the Story," 12 News reporter Ted Nesi fills in to host a conversation with 12 News anchor Kim Kalunian and Target 12 chief investigative reporter Tim White about how news outlets have covered the shooting at Brown University and its aftermath.