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The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi

WAMU 88.5
Virginia
Montgomery County
Donald Trump
Maryland
Prince George's County
Data Centers
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

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Artwork for The Politics Hour

Latest Episodes

Marylanders voted in key primary elections this week for congressional seats, county executive, county council, state legislatures, state's attorney, and other local seats.

At-Large Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando appears poised to beco... more

It was a historic primary election in the District, with several top jobs on the ballot. While it perhaps took longer than expected, the big races were finally called, including Janeese Lewis George securing the Democratic nomination for D.C. mayor. ... more

D.C. voters are preparing to head to the polls to make their picks in the primary elections for mayor, D.C. delegate to Congress, and a handful of seats on the D.C. Council.

A recent poll shows Ward 4 D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George leading ... more

Montgomery County Public Schools are looking to cut hundreds of positions to close a nearly $40 million budget gap. The cuts follow the Montgomery County Council's failure to fully fund MCPS's budget request. Throughout the budget process, District 5... more

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Recent Guests

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
Robert White
At-large DC council member
DC Delegate race candidate
Episode: The Politics Hour: WAMU’s D.C. Delegate Democratic primary forum
Paul Krizek
Virginia House Delegate
Virginia General Assembly
Episode: The Politics Hour: A tightening D.C. Mayor’s race and Virginia Governor Spanberger’s vetoes
Michael Schaffer
City Cast DC host and executive editor
City Cast DC
Episode: The Politics Hour: A tightening D.C. Mayor’s race and Virginia Governor Spanberger’s vetoes
Matt Frumin
Ward 3 DC Councilmember
DC Council
Episode: The Politics Hour: VA Sen. Majority Leader Scott Surovell on redistricting Hail Mary
Suhas Subramanyam
Congressman, Virginia's 10th District
U.S. Congress
Episode: The Politics Hour: VA Supreme Court strikes down redistricting and Montgomery County's battle over tax hikes

Hosts

Kojo Nnamdi
Host of the program; provides constitutional and policy analysis with a focus on local governance in the DMV.
Tom Sherwood
Resident analyst and contributing writer; provides historical and political context with tough, probing questions.

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 States2 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.

Guest balance and tough questions are a hallmark, though some find the pace brisk or voices strong.
Audience praises the show as essential for understanding DMV politics and for practical context for residents.
Listeners appreciate deep, regionally focused political analysis with access to local officials.

Top Politics Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Politics Hour: The final countdown to the D.C. primary and Virginia lawmakers stall over the budget
Q: Alex, what do recent polls tell us about the mayoral race?
Polls show Janeese Lewis George leading, with undecided voters a critical factor and McDuffie needing to build support among second-choice voters, especially if rank-based results come into play.
The Politics Hour: The final countdown to the D.C. primary and Virginia lawmakers stall over the budget
Q: Care to comment, Sam?
Sam PK. Collins notes Ward 8 residents are split on the disclosure issue and the broader implications for Ward 8, while highlighting a potential plan for a special election if the councilmember is convicted.
The Politics Hour: D.C. budget crunch and Montgomery County schools job cuts
Q: What reforms are proposed to improve school-board governance and budget processes?
There is support for making school-board positions full-time, raising pay for school-board members, and increasing transparency with line-item budgets and state-law changes to enable stronger oversight and potentially changing how the school board is funded and staffed.
The Politics Hour: D.C. budget crunch and Montgomery County schools job cuts
Q: What are the main budget pressures in Montgomery County that led to the school budget cuts?
The school budget increased overall, but the proportion of the county budget allocated to MCPS has fallen, even as costs for inflation, staffing, and compliance rose; the result is significant cuts to central and building-based staff and a push to prioritize direct student-serving roles like social workers and special education resources.
The Politics Hour: Virginia voters approved redistricting. So, what's next?
Q: How do you respond to arguments that Fairfax County has too much influence over the rest of the Commonwealth?
The response emphasized that every vote counts equally and that districts should reflect geographic and community realities, not urban-rural silos; the map design aims to balance representation while acknowledging population distribution.

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 regionally focused political program provides sharp, issue-driven discussions on local governance, policy, and elections across DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Episodes frequently center on budget battles, redistricting, data-center and infrastructure debates, policing, and the interplay between local concerns and federal policy. A core strength is the host-driven, in-depth interrogation of officials and analysts, often pairing electeds with reporters or union leaders to unpack complex policy tradeoffs. Noteworthy is the show's emphasis on accessible, on-the-ground reporting combined with candid debate, making it a go-to for listeners who want practical context on regional politics and how national moves translate locally. The mix of policyma... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Politics Hour?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Politics Hour:

1. City Cast DC
2. Throughline
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. On the Media
5. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

How many episodes of The Politics Hour are there?

The Politics Hour launched 21 years ago and published 32 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Politics Hour?

Recent guests on The Politics Hour include:

1. Elissa Silverman
2. Kristin Mink
3. Trent Holbrook
4. Greg Yatsko
5. Robert White
6. Paul Krizek
7. Michael Schaffer
8. Matt Frumin

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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