The Northwest Politicast

Jeff Pohjola
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola will explore the issues and politics of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most.

  1. 3d ago

    Why Republicans Keep Losing in Washington

    With the midterms just two months away, Washington Republicans are facing the possibility of losing even more ground in Olympia. Jeff talks with Washington Observer editor Paul Queary about legislative races that could give Democrats as many as five additional House seats, why Republicans are struggling even in traditionally friendly parts of southwest Washington, and whether demographic changes, Donald Trump’s unpopularity and the party’s own strategy have fundamentally changed the state’s political map. PLUS: Initiative 645 would repeal Washington’s new millionaire’s tax, but the campaign may be testing whether the initiative process still works as a conservative check on a Democratic-controlled Legislature. Jeff and Paul look at the money behind both sides, the political consequences of recent tax votes and why Republicans may be spending too much time “owning the libs” instead of figuring out how to win. AND: The conflict with Iran is entering its seventh month, but Vice President JD Vance says he would not call it a war. ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers explains how the Administration is describing the fighting, why Vance declined to offer a timeline for when it might end and what the latest U.S. strikes and extended troop deployments say about where the conflict is headed. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  2. Aug 28

    Vote-by-Mail Fight Escalates in Washington

    Washington’s vote-by-mail system is caught in a fast-moving legal fight over how much control the federal government can exercise over ballots moving through the U.S. mail. Jeff breaks down President Donald Trump’s new Postal Service requirements, the latest court rulings and what they could mean for Washington voters. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs argues the federal government is intruding on powers reserved to the states, while the Trump Administration says the changes are necessary to strengthen election security and make mailed ballots more auditable. For now, Washington’s existing vote-by-mail system remains unchanged as the case moves forward. PLUS: Alaska voters could see something unusual on their Senate ballots this fall: Dan Sullivan versus Dan Sullivan. ABC News Deputy Political Director Ben Siegel explains how a retired teacher sharing the incumbent Republican senator’s name made the general election, why Republicans tried unsuccessfully to remove him and how Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system could turn the curiosity into a race with national implications for control of the Senate. AND: President Trump is temporarily suspending tariffs on imported ground beef in an effort to bring prices down, drawing criticism from ranchers, farmers and Republican lawmakers who warn the move could hurt domestic producers. ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers also looks at the president’s escalating tariff threats against Canadian cars and auto parts and why there appears to be little sign of an off-ramp in the U.S.-Canada trade dispute. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  3. Aug 22

    Seattle Times Draws Viewpoint Scrutiny

    A longtime Seattle Times sports columnist has walked away from the newspaper after editors declined to publish his column about the debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports. Matt Calkins says the decision was the culmination of years of clashes over columns that challenged prevailing views inside the newsroom. Jeff examines what Calkins says happened, the distinction between a columnist’s freedom to express an opinion and an editor’s authority to decide what gets published, and the central question the dispute leaves unanswered: Was this ordinary editorial judgment, or was the viewpoint itself the problem? PLUS: Renton is still wrestling with whether automated license plate readers belong on its streets. City Council member Carmen Rivera tells Northwest Newsradio’s Scott Carty that she sees value in the technology but does not believe the city currently has the safeguards or public trust necessary for Flock’s fixed cameras. The debate now centers on privacy, control of the data, law-enforcement access and whether a different system could give the city tighter control. AND: The national debt has crossed $40 trillion and is growing faster than expected. Northwest Newsradio’s Rich Johnson looks at why Washington keeps acknowledging the problem while making it harder to solve, how rising debt can eventually hit household finances and why the approaching debt ceiling will force Congress to confront the issue again. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  4. Aug 15

    Police Camera Backlash Reaches Renton

    Concerns over privacy and potential abuse are prompting communities across the country to rethink automated license plate readers, and Renton could be next. Jeff talks with ABC’s Jim Ryan about the backlash against Flock Safety cameras, allegations that officers have used the technology outside their professional duties, and new safeguards the company says will make searches more accountable. The debate now comes down to whether those changes are enough to restore public trust as Renton prepares to vote on whether to keep its Flock contract. PLUS: With the midterms about two and a half months away, President Donald Trump’s poll numbers are sinking. ABC News political analyst Steve Roberts explains why concerns over the economy, inflation and the war in Iran are beginning to test even some voters who previously backed Trump, while Democrats hold an advantage in the generic congressional ballot but face their own challenges with turnout, redistricting and candidate selection. AND: Amazon is confronting a new labor and regulatory challenge in New York City. Bloomberg’s Spencer Soper explains a proposal that would require Amazon to directly employ thousands of delivery workers now hired through subcontractors, why supporters think that could strengthen worker protections and union organizing, and how Amazon could respond if New York adopts the plan. The episode also looks at the effort to recall Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  5. Aug 1

    Mayor Wilson’s Political Crisis Deepens

    The fatal shooting at the Bite of Seattle has left three people dead, four wounded, suspects still being sought, and Mayor Katie Wilson facing a deepening political crisis. Jeff talks with Northwest Newsradio anchor Scott Carty about the five-hour delay before officials briefed the public, breakdowns between the mayor’s office and Seattle police, the departure of Police Chief Barnes, and why city leaders and residents say they still do not have the answers they need. PLUS: The discovery of a ghost gun and an illegally modified automatic weapon at the shooting scene is renewing debate over gun laws and public safety. Former FBI special agent in charge Rich Frankel explains what makes a weapon a ghost gun, why it is harder to trace, and how investigators can still use ballistics and other forensic evidence to connect firearms to a crime. AND: Andre Sayles takes over as Seattle’s interim police chief as detectives continue searching for multiple suspects. Jeff looks at Sayles’ background, the latest on the investigation, and two difficult legal paths that could be used to remove a Seattle mayor from office. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  6. Jul 17

    Election Claims, Speech Bets, and UFO Files

    President Trump is again raising doubts about American elections, this time in a primetime speech ahead of the midterms. Jeff talks with ABC’s Steven Portnoy about the president’s claims involving China, voter databases, noncitizens, dead voters and the SAVE America Act. Portnoy explains what the newly released documents do and do not show, why stolen voter data is not the same as altered votes, and why the president’s claims conflict with assessments his own intelligence officials gave him in 2021. PLUS: A White House teleprompter operator is under investigation for allegedly using advance access to President Trump’s speeches to place bets on prediction markets. ABC’s Peter Charalambous explains how the operator allegedly wagered on more than a dozen Trump speeches, including the State of the Union, and how the president’s tendency to go off script may have even cost him money. AND: The push to end the twice-yearly clock change gets another chance in Congress, but permanent daylight saving time still faces questions in the Senate. Then, ABC’s Jim Ryan walks through the Pentagon’s latest release of UFO, or UAP, files, including newly declassified videos, images and documents that are intriguing, but still far from proof of alien life. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  7. Jul 11

    Trump Threatens to Stall Bills Over SAVE Act

    President Donald Trump is threatening not to sign legislation until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, tying a broadly supported bipartisan housing bill to his push for sweeping changes to federal election rules. Jeff talks with ABC’s Allie Pecorin about the president’s standoff with Congress, why the housing bill could still become law without his signature, and why the SAVE America Act faces a much tougher path in the Senate despite Republican control of both chambers. PLUS: A U.S. Olympian is now facing a felony charge tied to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool controversy. ABC’s Steven Portnoy explains the case against David Hearn, his not guilty plea, the allegations surrounding damage to the pool, and why his attorney argues the Trump Administration is trying to shift blame for a botched repair project that had already become a political headache. AND: Israeli intelligence is reportedly warning of credible threats against President Trump from Iran, including a possible bounty and assassination threat. Former FBI special agent in charge Rich Frankel explains how U.S. intelligence would assess and try to confirm that kind of information. The episode also looks at Mitch McConnell’s extended hospitalization and what his absence means for a closely divided Senate. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  8. Jun 27

    Cost of Living Looms Over Midterms

    The midterm elections are four months away, and the latest Quinnipiac polling shows warning signs for President Donald Trump, congressional Republicans and Democrats. Jeff talks with ABC News polling director Emily Guskin about what voters are saying on cost of living, health care, immigration, birthright citizenship, transgender athletes and the economy. The numbers show broad agreement on some issues, deep partisan divides on others and a political environment where voters are unhappy with nearly everyone in power. PLUS: The U.S. Supreme Court issues two major immigration rulings while the country waits for a decision on birthright citizenship. ABC’s Steven Portnoy explains why the justices sided with the Trump Administration on asylum access at the border and temporary protected status for Haitians and Syrians already living legally in the United States. AND: Washington’s budget outlook is getting worse. New taxes are adding money to the state forecast, but weaker economic expectations, slower job growth and lower personal income are cutting projected collections by nearly a billion dollars through 2031. Jeff also previews America Northwest, Scott Carty’s Fourth of July special celebrating the Northwest’s contributions to the country. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

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About

The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola will explore the issues and politics of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Pohjola
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jeff Pohjola
  • Show Website
    The Northwest Politicast