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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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes32Founded21 years ago
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Artwork for The Politics Hour

Latest Episodes

House Republicans are pushing a bill aimed at restricting D.C.'s ability to decrease or increase local taxes. D.C. lawmakers are calling it an egregious attack on Home Rule. Council Chair Phil Mendelson joins the show to discuss why not allowing the ... more

Ward 4 D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George secured the Democratic nomination last month to be the city’s next mayor. Her win, plus other progressive candidates’ victories, sets the stage for a new era in D.C. politics. She’s now poised to become ... more

Metro is having a moment. The agency set ridership records over the July 4th weekend, riders are buying up Metro merch, and the agency is a key player in the city's biggest development project in decades. Yes, Metro is cool again, but challenges rema... more

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

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

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
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
Robert White
Democratic nominee for DC delegate
DC Delegate Campaign
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
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

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 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.

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.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
The Politics Hour: Metro GM Randy Clarke talks ridership records, RFK stadium transit plans, and red line shutdowns
Q: Have Maryland, Virginia, and DC each pass legislation to contribute to Metro with a total of an extra $460 million a year for capital construction and repair?
Clarke explains that while all three jurisdictions are discussing funding, the process is ongoing and not yet settled; Maryland and DC have signaled intention to address contributions in the next sessions, with Virginia already integrating similar mechanisms, but funding remains a work in progress.
The Politics Hour: Maryland's primary elections and the D.C. council reverses budget cuts
Q: What's your stance on data centers and tax policy in the region?
He advocates for a fair tax system, continued scrutiny of large incentives, and targeted measures to control costs for residents, including pushing for reform at the state level for tax fairness.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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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. The NPR Politics Podcast
3. 1A
4. The Ezra Klein Show
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 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. Larry Sabato
2. Tara Jackson
3. Elissa Silverman
4. Robert White
5. Kristin Mink
6. Trent Holbrook
7. Greg Yatsko
8. Paul Krizek

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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