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Max Politics

Max Politics
New York City
Andrew Cuomo
Zohran Mamdani
Eric Adams
Public Safety
New York City Mayoral Race
Donald Trump
Affordable Housing
Congestion Pricing
Democratic Party
Kathy Hochul
New York City Council
Housing Affordability
New York State Budget
Housing Policy
New York Politics
Zoran Mamdani
Brad Lander
Governor Kathy Hochul
Democratic Primary

Max Politics is a New York politics podcast hosted by journalist Ben Max featuring in-depth interviews with elected and appointed officials, candidates, advocates, and others about New York City and State politics and policy. Produced at New York Law School and its Center for New York Law. Get in touch: benmax25@gmail.com -------- Intro/outro music is Live-It by Ketsa. source (Free Music Archive) ... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes519Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

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Artwork for Max Politics

Latest Episodes

As the 2026 elections come to a close in New York and we await the results, three political experts joined the show to each give their '5 Things to Watch.' Republican strategist Chapin Fay, Democratic strategist Basil Smikle Jr., and progressive anal... more

Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat seeking reelection, joined the show to discuss her record, respond to critiques of Democratic governance of New York, outline what's at the top of her agenda if she wins another term, and address key issues facing th... more

City Council Member Sandy Nurse, a Brooklyn Democrat, joined the show to discuss Council passage of the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA), which gives qualified nonprofits the first chance to buy certain housing properties when they are pu... more

Mayor Mamdani's charter revision commission — the Commission on Government Efficiency, or COGE — has put 5 yes-or-no questions on the 2026 ballot with various proposals for city voters to approve or disapprove. This episode features audio from a live... more

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Recent Guests

Kathy Hochul
Governor of New York and Democrat seeking reelection
State of New York
Episode: Governor Kathy Hochul on Her Record & Case for Reelection
Sandy Nurse
New York City Council member representing the 37th District and lead sponsor of COPA
New York City Council
Episode: Council Member Sandy Nurse on Passage of the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act
Ann Cheng
COGE executive director and former director of strategic initiatives in the New York governor's office
Commission on Government Efficiency
Episode: The 5 Questions on Your New York City Ballot, with Patrick Gaspard & Ann Cheng
Patrick Gaspard
COGE chair and former U.S. ambassador to South Africa
Commission on Government Efficiency
Episode: The 5 Questions on Your New York City Ballot, with Patrick Gaspard & Ann Cheng
Bob Hardt
New York political director for Spectrum News
Spectrum News
Episode: Analyzing the Hochul-Blakeman Debate & State of the Governor’s Race, with Bob Hardt
Saritha Komatireddy
Partner at Holtzman Vogel and former federal prosecutor and DEA chief of staff
Holtzman Vogel
Episode: Saritha Komatireddy on Her Run for New York Attorney General
Tom DiNapoli
New York State Comptroller, Democrat seeking reelection
New York State Comptroller's Office
Episode: Tom DiNapoli on His Case for Reelection as New York State Comptroller
Joseph Hernandez
Republican and Conservative Party nominee for New York State Comptroller
Republican and Conservative Party nominee for NY State Comptroller
Episode: Joseph Hernandez on His Run for New York State Comptroller
Shekar Krishnan
New York City Councilmember, Queens Democrat, Chair of Oversight and Investigations Committee
New York City Council
Episode: Council Member Shekar Krishnan on Regulating Screen Time, Digital Devices, & Ed-Tech in NYC Schools

Host

Ben Max
Host of Max Politics, known for in-depth NYC politics discussions and guiding the conversation with guests.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 99 ratings
  • Max Politics is a good listen

    I’m aware this podcast may not be for everyone, but I appreciate the thorough analysis and inviting of different perspectives to listeners. I like being able to see what people who may be critical of a certain perspective think, and I think this can be conducive to sparking informed discussions and debates offline. I can tell Ben works very hard to produce a solid and respectable conversation, and I give my best rating because of that! I encourage people new to it to come with an open mind, I do... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JJS718
    United States10 months ago
  • (Formerly) Great NYC & NYS pod

    This is an updated review. The once great host has clearly lost his mind over the possible election of Zohran Mamdani as Mayor.

    Too many of the recent pods feature right-leaning or equally freaked out “experts” that either purposely or in bad faith exaggerate what Mamdani has proposed — and Max urges them on, rather than stay neutral or offer any critique. This last one w Manhattan Institute & Vital City reps just a festival of fear-mongering.

    So disappointing — but on par with others — Siegel,... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    CaityC
    United Statesa year ago
  • Always Insightful

    Ben Max attracts great guests because he is an expert in NYC politics like almost none other. He always brings thoughtful questions and a calm and steady presence. Great podcast!! LOVING the collab with FAQ NYC. Can we keep it?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaa
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great NYC & NYS pod

    Featuring electeds, candidates, party & non-profit people across the political spectrum. Host gives folks room to explain their points of view — sometimes to the detriment of the speakers, be they rich, center or left. And our politics!

    Listening to some of these pods post 2024 election, it becomes very clear to me why it’s been so difficult for progressive ideas — most of which I support — to connect with everyday people.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CaityC
    United States2 years ago
  • Informative NYC Podcast

    Ben Max is a knowledgeable host who starts every episode with enough background info so that you have context of the discussion. Lots of interesting and important guests joining each week. Great way to stay informed of what’s going on in NYC.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Vinman~87
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience appreciates well-researched, informative coverage of NYC politics and governance.
Listeners praise thorough analysis and diverse perspectives, noting quality discussions and host expertise.
Some criticism around guest balance and critique of certain guests, but overall value in insider context and policy depth.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Council Member Sandy Nurse on Passage of the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act
Q: What were the couple of major top changes you made to the bill between the last version and this version?
Nurse says the revised bill focuses on a more defined group of buildings already managed by HPD, rather than relying on less clearly tracked expiring affordability subsidies. She describes working with the administration to make implementation workable.
Council Member Sandy Nurse on Passage of the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act
Q: What is COPA? What is it meant to do? Why is it important to pass it?
Nurse says the law gives trusted community housing organizations the first opportunity to bid on certain at-risk buildings, so they can make repairs and preserve affordable homes for existing tenants.
Governor Kathy Hochul on Her Record & Case for Reelection
Q: What's the vision for another four years? What are the things that you'd want to either do anew, double down on, or move away from?
Hochul says she would expand housing construction and affordability programs, strengthen energy supply, pursue infrastructure projects, and encourage further semiconductor investment.
Governor Kathy Hochul on Her Record & Case for Reelection
Q: What are the top four or five accomplishments that you're stressing right now that you want people to know about from your tenure as governor?
Hochul points to lower crime, affordability measures, housing construction, childcare investments including Universal 2K, and the school cell phone ban.
Analyzing the Hochul-Blakeman Debate & State of the Governor’s Race, with Bob Hardt
Q: What did you think he needed to do and how well did he do on those?
Hardt says Blakeman needed to damage Hochul, avoid seeming extreme, and distinguish himself from Trump. He believes Blakeman was least successful at distancing himself from Trump.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Max Politics

What is Max Politics about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A NYC-politics focused show that features in-depth conversations with elected officials, developers, reform advocates, and policy experts. Episodes consistently explore governance, housing, policing, budget, and strategy within the city and state, often drilling into reform movements, party dynamics, and the mechanics of advancing progressive agendas. Noteworthy is the blend of insider perspectives, hands-on policy analysis, and real-world implications for voters, residents, and stakeholders, plus a recurring emphasis on how agendas translate into actionable governance. The format tends to balance long-form interviews with live event discussions and scenario-based debates, making it a strong fit for listeners who want nuanced, insider-level... more

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To see how many followers or subscribers Max Politics has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Max Politics?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Max Politics:

1. FAQ NYC
2. The Hell Gate Podcast
3. The Brian Lehrer Show
4. NYC NOW
5. Off Topic/On Politics

How many episodes of Max Politics are there?

Max Politics launched 10 years ago and published 519 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Max Politics?

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What guests have appeared on Max Politics?

Recent guests on Max Politics include:

1. Kathy Hochul
2. Sandy Nurse
3. Ann Cheng
4. Patrick Gaspard
5. Bob Hardt
6. Saritha Komatireddy
7. Tom DiNapoli
8. Joseph Hernandez

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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