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Artwork for The Politics Hour

The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi

WAMU 88.5
Virginia
Montgomery County
Donald Trump
Maryland
Data Centers
Prince George's County
RFK Stadium
District Of Columbia
Public Safety
Affordable Housing
Loudoun County
Trump Administration
DC Council
Ranked Choice Voting
Kamala Harris
D.C. Council
Washington Commanders
Housing Affordability
Washington D.C.
Angela Alsobrooks

Join Kojo and resident analyst Tom Sherwood on Fridays at noon for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Each week Kojo and Tom help make sense of legislation, hold elected officials accountable and provide in-depth analysis of local issues and elections. The Politics Hour is also a vital forum for Washingtonians to engag... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded21 years ago
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Artwork for The Politics Hour

Latest Episodes

The Loudoun County data center debate has gone national. The growth of "Data Center Alley" - and the tax revenue that comes from it - has led to gleaming new community centers and low property taxes. But the proliferation of data centers in the regio... more

The Politics Hour is back from summer break with another big show!

A judge's ruling this week put the Maryland Democrat-backed redistricting plan in limbo. WAMU's Maryland reporter Jenny Abamu explains the court's decision and what comes next.

Loca... more

All eyes are now on November's midterm elections, after this week's Virginia primaries turned out to be a "big snoozer." Could the Commonwealth be the difference in which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives? We ask Virginia Senate Majori... more

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced this week she will not sign the Council-approved budget, saying it sets up a nearly $900 million fiscal cliff for the city’s next mayor. It’s a move that some believe will invite Congress to intrude again in Distric... more

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Recent Guests

Oye Owolewa
DC shadow representative and Democratic nominee for DC Council At-Large
DC Government / Democratic Party
Episode: The Politics Hour: Montgomery County pauses data centers and D.C.’s likely new councilmember Oye Owolewa
Shebra Evans
Montgomery County At-Large Council Member
Montgomery County Council
Episode: The Politics Hour: Montgomery County pauses data centers and D.C.’s likely new councilmember Oye Owolewa
Larry Sabato
Director of the Center for Politics, University of Virginia
University of Virginia
Episode: The Politics Hour: Metro GM Randy Clarke talks ridership records, RFK stadium transit plans, and red line shutdowns
Will Jawando
Presumptive Democratic nominee for Montgomery County Executive
Montgomery County government
Episode: The Politics Hour: Maryland's primary elections and the D.C. council reverses budget cuts
Tara Jackson
Presumptive Democratic nominee for Prince George's County State's Attorney
Prince George's County State's Attorney's office
Episode: The Politics Hour: Maryland's primary elections and the D.C. council reverses budget cuts
Elissa Silverman
DC At-Large Council winner, former council member
DC Council
Episode: The Politics Hour: A historic D.C. primary election and Montgomery County voting on new leadership
Kristin Mink
Montgomery County Councilmember representing District 5
Montgomery County Council
Episode: The Politics Hour: D.C. budget crunch and Montgomery County schools job cuts
Trent Holbrook
Former legislative aide to Eleanor Holmes Norton
DC Delegate race candidate
Episode: The Politics Hour: WAMU’s D.C. Delegate Democratic primary forum
Greg Yatsko
Physicist and former NRC chairman
DC Delegate race candidate
Episode: The Politics Hour: WAMU’s D.C. Delegate Democratic primary forum

Hosts

Kojo Nnamdi
Host of The Politics Hour
Tom Sherwood
Resident analyst and contributor

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 71 ratings
  • Wonderful show

    Tom and Kojo. Two DMV legends walking us through the local political scene. Helloooo everybody.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JMS32205
    United States3 years ago
  • Essential listening

    Podcast Addict
    5
    chrisabraham
    3 years ago
  • Can Tom Sherwood let the guest finish a sentence??

    Can Tom Sherwood let the guest finish a talking??

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    dc nowhere
    United States4 years ago
  • Best of WAMU

    Even though I have moved from Fairfax, VA to Fayetteville, NC, I tune into WAMU every weekday at noon for the Kojo NNamdi show. I noticed that the Politics Hour with Tom Sherwood has been taken off the network and there is no Apple Podcast available. What's going on???

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Margo from Fayetteville NC
    United States6 years ago
  • Love this show

    Kojo and Tom bring listeners the foremost political issues and public officials shaping the Washington DC region. The hosts are extremely well versed in regional issues and they grill their guests with tough but respectful questions. This show is essential listening for DC area citizens.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dan Bloom, your boy
    United States8 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Insightful, local-focused coverage that connects policy to real regional impacts.
Tough but respectful questioning that sheds light on complex issues.
Balanced conversations with major regional players and clear policy context.
Engaging discussions on data centers, transit, and policing that help audiences understand budget tradeoffs.

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On the MediaWNYC Studios

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Politics Hour: Montgomery County pauses data centers and D.C.’s likely new councilmember Oye Owolewa
Q: How does DC interact with Congress on the budget and home rule in light of the Bowser budget situation?
The host and guest discussed that unsigned budgets symbolize ongoing congressional oversight, while leaders argue for unity between the mayor and council to avoid giving Congress leverage; the shadow representative emphasized maintaining home rule and opposing direct federal interference.
The Politics Hour: Montgomery County pauses data centers and D.C.’s likely new councilmember Oye Owolewa
Q: What does the 18-month moratorium on data centers mean for Montgomery County and Dickerson in practical terms?
It signals a deeper review process to assess environmental, infrastructure, and community impacts before proceeding, with safeguards to involve independent experts and require industrial-zone placement and conditional-use approvals.
The Politics Hour: D.C.’s likely next mayor Janeese Lewis George
Q: What would you do to address truancy and education governance?
She outlines creating a single office to address chronic absenteeism, home visiting programs, and stronger alignment between agencies, with emphasis on early intervention.
The Politics Hour: D.C.’s likely next mayor Janeese Lewis George
Q: Dem, are you there?
The guest responds affirming plans for universal access to child care, education improvements, and a data-driven approach to governance.
The Politics Hour: Metro GM Randy Clarke talks ridership records, RFK stadium transit plans, and red line shutdowns
Q: What is Metro doing to fix air conditioning issues highlighted during extreme heat and what are the long-term plans for fleet modernization?
Clarke outlines limited yet effective mitigations during heat waves, including isolating hot cars, and highlights ongoing efforts to accelerate the 8K fleet rollout with manufacturing in Maryland, targeting revenue service by the late 2020s.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Politics Hour

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

A deep-dive into the politics of the DMV region, with a focus on local governance, budgets, elections, and policy across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Episodes regularly parse data-center policy, policing, transit projects, education funding, and the interplay between city, county, and state authorities, often featuring elected officials, reporters, and union leaders. Notable is the show's willingness to grill guests with tough questions while keeping regional issues accessible to listeners who want practical takeaways for civic engagement, policy impact, and local political dynamics.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Politics Hour?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Politics Hour. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Politics Hour and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Politics Hour get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Politics Hour?

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How many subscribers and views does The Politics Hour have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Politics Hour 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 The Politics Hour?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Politics Hour:

1. City Cast DC
2. On the Media
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. 1A
5. Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

How many episodes of The Politics Hour are there?

The Politics Hour launched 21 years ago and published 100 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 The Politics Hour?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Politics Hour?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Politics Hour from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on The Politics Hour?

Recent guests on The Politics Hour include:

1. Oye Owolewa
2. Shebra Evans
3. Larry Sabato
4. Will Jawando
5. Tara Jackson
6. Elissa Silverman
7. Kristin Mink
8. Trent Holbrook

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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