The NPR Politics Podcast
Hosted by A Martinez, Ayesha Rascoe, Leila Fadel, Michel Martin, Miles Parks, Steve Inskeep & Tamara Keith · 43 decoded episodes · newest Oct 7, 2026
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.<br><br><em> Support public media by joining NPR+ at </em><a href="http://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" ><em>plus.npr.org</em></a><em>. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening for The NPR Politics Podcast.</em>
Episodes 43
- Sep 3, 2026 · 19 minTwo Democrats test different paths in Trump-won statesGeorgia and Michigan could show whether Democratic candidates can overcome Republican advantages through local credibility, broader appeal, and opposition to Donald Trump.
- Sep 2, 2026 · 21 minDemocratic socialists test their message beyond Democratic primariesThe movement’s influence is growing, but general elections will test whether its economic agenda can reach working-class voters beyond its activist base.
- Sep 1, 2026 · 20 minWho controls America’s primaries—and why timing mattersThe episode explains how campaign-finance rules, state-level election calendars, party strategy, and rural political weakness shape midterm contests.
- Aug 31, 2026 · 17 minA $40 trillion debt tests America’s political prioritiesThe episode connects federal borrowing to interest costs, private borrowing and the political choices that make deficit reduction so difficult.
- Aug 28, 2026 · 31 minElection officials brace for midterm interferenceThe episode examines how legal challenges and federal pressure could test a decentralized election system before votes are cast and counted.
- Aug 27, 2026 · 15 minTrump’s mail-voting order faces legal and logistical hurdlesThe order could disrupt legitimate voters and election administration even as courts determine whether it can take effect before the midterms.
- Aug 26, 2026 · 19 minTrump’s endorsement carries a South Carolina runoffThe episode connects a narrow Republican primary result to Trump’s influence and confronts the politically toxic choices threatening Social Security.
- Aug 25, 2026 · 17 minTariffs put North American trade and midterms under pressureThe dispute could raise costs, disrupt integrated supply chains, weaken U.S. credibility, and reshape political incentives before the 2026 midterms.
- Aug 24, 2026 · 18 minDHS voter-roll claims collapse under scrutinyUnverified claims about noncitizens on voter rolls could invite federal intervention and election disputes in close midterm races.
- Aug 21, 2026 · 25 minIran war strains U.S. strategy and reshapes Democratic politicsThe episode connects an expanding conflict abroad with difficult choices about military commitments, Democratic coalition-building, and the party’s readiness for 2028 and the midterms.
- Aug 20, 2026 · 16 minFalling crime rates complicate Trump’s political advantageThe episode explains why a genuine national decline in violent crime may still be shaped politically by local fears, selective claims, and campaign messaging.
- Aug 19, 2026 · 20 minPrimary results test Trump’s reach across Republican politicsThe contests reveal how scandal, candidate identity, unusual election rules, and competing Democratic factions could shape November.