Yeah, it’s the same guy...
John Nichols (journalist) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nichols_(journalist)
John Harrison Nichols (born February 3, 1959) is a liberal and progressive American journalist and author. He is the National Affairs correspondent for The Nation and associate editor of The Capital Times. Books authored or co-authored by Nichols include The Genius of Impeachment and The Death and Life of …
Nichols grew up in Union Grove, Wisconsin. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife Mary Bottari, who is the deputy director of the Center for Media and Democracy.