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52 episodes
The NPR Politics Podcast
by NPR · English
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
All episodes
Why a CEO's affair may have national security implications
The episode (NPR Politics Podcast) discusses a scandal involving NVIDIA’s former CEO Jensen Huang: he admitted having an extramarital affair with a suspected Chinese spy, and he lost his job.
13 Nov 2026 · 25m · 11 chaptersHow Democrats overperformed in the South
Democrats overperformed across the South in a midterm election, driven by historically high Black turnout and differential Republican vote losses; Mississippi’s Senate race was the most historic…
12 Nov 2026 · 20m · 10 chaptersThese voters say the election won’t change much
A post-election focus group of North Carolina swing voters (Biden 2020, Trump 2024) discusses why Democrats gained control of Congress and what they expect next—especially affordability, low…
11 Nov 2026 · 19m · 9 chaptersHegseth faces impeachment effort
The episode discusses a congressional impeachment effort targeting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
10 Nov 2026 · 14m · 5 chapters
Trump confronts his lame duck era
NPR Politics Podcast discusses what to expect from Donald Trump’s “lame duck” period after Democrats’ midterm wins, focusing on divided government, Trump’s shifting messaging about election…
9 Nov 2026 · 15m · 6 chapters
How badly did partisan gerrymandering backfire?
Post-midterm analysis of whether partisan gerrymandering backfired, plus updates on undecided Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi and broader lessons for Democrats/Republicans.
6 Nov 2026 · 28m · 9 chapters
Meet the new Dems. Same as the old Dems?
Democrats’ election gains and what they’ll do with a large House/Senate shift, focusing on youth turnout, governing strategy, and ideological change including Democratic Socialists.
5 Nov 2026 · 21m · 11 chapters
What will Democrats do with their new majorities?
Democrats’ major election gains and what they’ll do with new House and Senate majorities, including governing strategy, messaging, and state-level power.
4 Nov 2026 · 17m · 5 chapters
Dems win big in midterm elections
Post–Election Day analysis of Democrats’ major midterm wins, framed as a rebuke of President Donald Trump and Republican candidates, with attention to Senate flips, House “wave” dynamics, and likely…
4 Nov 2026 · 19m · 8 chapters
How we know when someone wins an election
How the Associated Press (AP) decides when to call an election race as a “winner,” distinguishing race calls from projections, the data and quality-control process behind calls, and why calling races…
3 Nov 2026 · 25m · 10 chapters
Where things stand as voting winds down
NPR Politics Podcast preview for voting ending tomorrow, focusing on late-breaking Michigan Senate developments, turnout and key voter blocs, whether Trump-centric campaigning is working, structural…
2 Nov 2026 · 17m · 8 chapters
Answering your questions before Election Day
NPR Politics Podcast answers listener questions ahead of Election Day, focusing on midterms vs presidential elections, how to interpret polls, how Congress affects the executive branch, whether…
30 Oct 2026 · 30m · 13 chapters
Michigan's Senate race is coming down to the wire
The episode focuses on how the U.S. Senate race could be decided by a few states, starting with Michigan’s tight, open-seat contest.
29 Oct 2026 · 18m · 11 chapters
Why some Dems back independent candidates for Senate
Why Democrats are backing independent Senate candidates in red states, and whether that strategy can win rural voters; includes Montana and Nebraska plus a Montana House race as a “rural playbook.”
28 Oct 2026 · 15m · 9 chapters
How are voters feeling before Election Day?
An NPR Politics Podcast “pulse check” using an NPR/PBS NewsMarist poll on how voters feel in the week before Election Day—top issues, party alarm bells, and enthusiasm.
27 Oct 2026 · 17m · 10 chapters
The DOJ wades into elections with unprecedented cases
The DOJ’s unprecedented legal push into election administration, focusing on alleged non-citizen voting and voter confusion, and how it may affect election integrity.
26 Oct 2026 · 20m · 8 chapters
Midterm campaigning enters home stretch
Midterm campaign strategy and election dynamics, plus controversies in polling and campaign ads.
23 Oct 2026 · 19m · 8 chapters
The peril and promise of presidential power
The episode examines the “imperial presidency” and argues that President Trump’s second-term approach expands unilateral executive power, weakening checks from courts and Congress, and reshaping…
22 Oct 2026 · 19m · 7 chapters
Texas: Democrats' eternal hope
The episode examines why Texas Democrats are betting on a rare chance to win statewide offices, despite decades of losses.
21 Oct 2026 · 23m · 5 chapters
Why Dems see opportunity in Alaska
Alaska’s competitive 2026 elections and how ranked-choice voting shapes outcomes, including the U.S. Senate race, governor’s race, ballot measure on voting rules, and a House race.
20 Oct 2026 · 17m · 9 chapters
The Kansas Senate race is looking like a toss up. Yes, really.
Kansas’ unexpectedly competitive 2026 Senate race—why Democrat Adam Hamilton is closing on incumbent Republican Roger Marshall—and how affordability, health care, and national Trump backlash are…
20 Oct 2026 · 20m · 13 chapters
A week of warning signs for the GOP?
Weekly NPR Politics roundup on GOP troubles: White House personnel and messaging problems, corruption/inflation concerns driving voter mood, Trump’s diesel-from-Russia plan, shifting GOP resource…
16 Oct 2026 · 26m · 7 chapters
They voted for Trump in 2024. Now, they regret it.
Georgia focus-group swing voters who backed Donald Trump in 2024 now feel disappointed and regret their vote, driven mainly by economic pain and other unpopular issues; they’re also weighing midterms…
15 Oct 2026 · 18m · 11 chapters
AI chatbots: the new voter guides?
Voters increasingly use AI chatbots (and AI-generated search summaries) to research candidates and election issues, especially for down-ballot races where local information is scarce.
14 Oct 2026 · 16m · 10 chaptersWe use cookies.They keep VO running smoothly and help us improve it. Privacy policy