The NPR Politics Podcast
Hosted by NPR
About this Show
Every weekday, NPR's best political reporters are there to explain the big news coming out of Washington and the campaign trail. They don't just tell you what happened. They tell you why it matters. Every afternoon. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening for The NPR Politics Podcast.
Latest Episodes
How we know when someone wins an election
When you follow NPR's coverage of elections, you'll see or hear that race results are "called" by the Associated Press. What does that mean, and how does the AP make those determinations? We ask their head of elections to explain.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, senior p...
Where things stand as voting winds down
More than 56 million Americans have cast ballots in this year's midterm elections, and candidates across the country are making their closing arguments to win over those yet to vote. We look at the state of play before voting ends Tuesday.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith,...
Answering your questions before Election Day
As voters vote throughout the U.S., many have questions about the country's political landscape. Our experts tackle a few of them.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, voting correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior political editor & correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podca...
Michigan's Senate race is coming down to the wire
Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed are making their closing arguments in their campaigns for Michigan's open U.S. Senate seat. What are they saying, and how are voters responding?This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, and se...
Why some Dems back independent candidates for Senate
The Democratic Party's image in places like Montana and Nebraska isn't great. So, in Nebraska, the state's Democratic Party opted not to run a candidate in the U.S. Senate race, and is backing an independent. In Montana, some Democrats see their party's candidate for Senate as a spoiler, preventi...
How are voters feeling before Election Day?
Our latest poll captures a glimpse at how both likely and registered voters are feeling ahead of Election Day. We talk about the issues influencing their decisions, and where both Democratic and Republican candidates can find reasons to be optimistic & worried.This episode: senior political corre...
The DOJ wades into elections with unprecedented cases
The Department of Justice has pressured states to look into allegations of illegal voting by noncitizens, and has moved to intervene in Alaska's upcoming U.S. Senate election. What is the department's goal, and what are the implications?This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, v...
Midterm campaigning enters home stretch
President Trump continued to campaign for Republican congressional candidates, visiting traditionally red states as he tries to increase turnout among the GOP base. We discuss whether the strategy can pay off.Then, we talk about a recent campaign ad in the Ohio gubernatorial race attracting wides...
The peril and promise of presidential power
Every president wields some amount of executive power, but Donald Trump has sought to use it more broadly than his predecessors. We look at the impacts of expanding executive power.This episode: senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and congression...
Texas: Democrats' eternal hope
Democrats have long seen Texas as the next state for their politicians and ideas to break through, but they haven't won a statewide race there since 1994. We look at why they think this year may break that trend.This episode: voting correspondents Miles Parks & Ashley Lopez, and senior political ...
Why Dems see opportunity in Alaska
Democrats think they have a shot at winning a U.S. Senate seat and the governor's mansion in Alaska this election. We look at the issues at stake, and why Republicans are playing defense in a state Donald Trump won by 13 points in 2024.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, senior nation...
The Kansas Senate race is looking like a toss up. Yes, really.
Kansas hasn't elected a Democratic senator since the 1930s. But political headwinds against Republicans are turning this year's race between incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton into a real contest. This episode: Voting correspondent Miles Parks, political reporte...
A week of warning signs for the GOP?
This week saw staffing changes at the White House, the president hitting the road to campaign in Republican strongholds, and backlash to a deal to buy diesel fuel from Russia. We break down what it all means as we enter the final sprint before the midterm elections. Plus, President Trump made inr...
They voted for Trump in 2024. Now, they regret it.
As part of our monthly series of focus groups with swing voters, we head to Georgia, where many voters say they regret giving Trump a second run at the White House in 2024. That regret also threatens Republicans running in local and statewide races, they say. What's behind their change of heart?T...
AI chatbots: the new voter guides?
Voters have many ways to learn about the candidates and issues they'll vote on each election cycle. Some are now turning to AI chatbots to get that info, asking the tools to tell them about who they should vote for. We look at the trend, and why voters are doing it.This episode: senior political ...