The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi

WAMU 88.5
  • 4.8 (45)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

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 engage directly with their local leaders.

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    The Politics Hour: A historic D.C. primary election and Montgomery County voting on new leadership

    It was a historic primary election in the District, with several top jobs on the ballot. While it perhaps took longer than expected, the big races were finally called, including Janeese Lewis George securing the Democratic nomination for D.C. mayor. WAMU's D.C. politics reporter Alex Koma gets behind the mic to break down Lewis George's monumental win and what comes next. Plus, he talks about several races that will be decided by ranked-choice voting. In another closely-watched contest, D.C. Councilmember Robert White soundly defeated four other candidates to become the Democratic nominee in the race to succeed Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton as D.C. Delegate to Congress. The newly minted Democratic nominee joins Kojo and Tom to discuss what it means to replace a legend, his first-year priorities, and his plans to work on statehood for the District. Four years after losing her council seat, Elissa Silverman has made a political comeback. The progressive stalwart defeated two other candidates, including current councilmember Doni Crawford, in the At-Large Council special election. The councilmember-elect is in the studio to discuss getting back on the council, her agenda, and her plans for running again in November. Maryland is preparing for its own primary day next week, with Montgomery County Executive, Prince George's County Council positions, and local Congressional seats all on the ballot. WAMU's Jenny Abamu joins the show to break down the biggest races and questions facing voters as they head to the polls on Tuesday. Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885

    50 min

  2. Jun 12

    The Politics Hour: The final countdown to the D.C. primary and Virginia lawmakers stall over the budget

    D.C. voters are preparing to head to the polls to make their picks in the primary elections for mayor, D.C. delegate to Congress, and a handful of seats on the D.C. Council. A recent poll shows Ward 4 D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George leading her former Council colleague Kenyan McDuffie by double digits, but many voters remain undecided heading into the final stretch. WAMU's Senior D.C. Politics Reporter Alex Koma and the Washington Informer's Sam P.K. Collins stop by The Politics Hour to break down exactly what's happening in each race. They'll also talk about how ranked-choice voting might affect the results of the election (and when we might see the results). Virginia lawmakers are still struggling to negotiate a budget. Leaders in the Virginia House, Senate, and Executive Mansion can't come to an agreement on tax breaks for data centers in the commonwealth. House delegates will return to Richmond for a special session on the budget on June 18th in an effort to hammer out a deal before the June 30th deadline. If lawmakers fail to agree by then, the state government will shut down. Virginia delegate Vivian Watts comes by The Politics Hour to share where things stand at this point. Sorting political fact from fiction, and having fun while we’re at it. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies, and personalities of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.  Produced by Kayla Hewitt Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/wamu.org

    49 min

  3. Jun 5

    The Politics Hour: D.C. budget crunch and Montgomery County schools job cuts

    Montgomery County Public Schools are looking to cut hundreds of positions to close a nearly $40 million budget gap. The cuts follow the Montgomery County Council's failure to fully fund MCPS's budget request. Throughout the budget process, District 5 Councilmember Kristin Mink looked for ways to fully fund the school district. She joins the show to explain what the council can do now to support schools. Plus, she discusses her support for bills signed by the County Executive this week limiting federal immigration enforcement in the county, and we ask her to weigh in on the County Executive race. The D.C. Council is set for its first budget vote next week. It's been a challenging year as federal cuts and a decline in tax revenue have forced city leaders to weigh big cuts. Councilmember Christina Henderson takes us behind the scenes of negotiations and explains why she thinks slashing a fund that pays early childhood educators is the wrong move. Henderson also weighs in on the fight over a youth curfew, and we ask whether she's ready to endorse a candidate in the city's mayoral race. Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/wamu.org

    50 min

  4. May 29

    The Politics Hour: WAMU’s D.C. Delegate Democratic primary forum

    The Politics Hour goes on the road this week, broadcasting our D.C. Delegate Democratic primary forum live from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Northwest D.C.! Kojo and Tom are joined on stage by all five candidates running in the Democratic primary to represent the District in Congress. We ask the big questions.. and get answers... about public safety, D.C.'s economy, protecting the District from federal intrusion, and so much more. Listen to learn about the candidates vying to succeed Eleanor Holmes Norton before heading to the polls for the Democratic primary on June 16. Sorting political fact from fiction, and having fun while we’re at it. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies, and personalities of the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland, live from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C.! Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/wamu.org

    1h 19m

  5. May 22

    The Politics Hour: A tightening D.C. Mayor’s race and Virginia Governor Spanberger’s vetoes

    The first public poll in the D.C. mayoral race is out, showing Ward 4 D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George with a slight lead over former At-Large D.C Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie. However, ranked-choice voting could play a huge role in the tightening race. The poll, from City Cast DC, is a fascinating deep dive glimpse into how age, race, geography, and even being a D.C. sports fan shape residents' political leanings. City Cast host and executive editor Michael Schaffer joins us to break down what they found and also what polling says about the D.C. Delegate race. The Prince George's County planning board is in turmoil following the resignation of chair Darryl Barnes amid allegations of misconduct. The change comes weeks after Maryland lawmakers added language to the state budget to curtail the department's spending. Prince George's County Councilmember Jolene Ivey gets behind the mic to discuss what's going on and why the council's role is in overseeing the planning board. Plus, we talk to her about  budget negotiations and a new tax on certain businesses in the county. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger this week surprisingly vetoed legislation that would have finally established a retail marijuana market in the Commonwealth. The veto once again stalls an effort that's been years in the making. Virginia House Delegate Paul Krizek, who represents portions of Fairfax County, is a co-sponsor of the now-dead bill and has pushed for legal sales for more than five years. He joins the show to tell us what happened, why the Governor said no, and why he's hoping to get it into the still unsettled budget. We also ask why the Governor's recent vetoes have put her at odds with some in her own party.  Guest Host Kayla Hewitt Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/wamu.org

    50 min

  6. May 15

    The Politics Hour: VA Sen. Majority Leader Scott Surovell on redistricting Hail Mary

    After months as the main roadblock, it appears Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson is softening his position on redistricting. The recent Supreme Court decision weakening the Voting Rights Act and Maryland Governor Wes Moore notably leaving Ferguson off his list of political endorsements appear to be two big factors. WAMU's Maryland reporter Jenny Abamu gets behind the mic to tell us about what she's hearing from lawmakers about Maryland redistricting. Virginia Democrats are throwing a Hail Mary in hopes of saving their redistricting efforts. On Monday, they asked the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency injunction and for an order overturning the Virginia Supreme Court's decision to throw out redrawn congressional maps. We ask Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell where the last-ditch effort stands, what comes next, and why Democrats remain optimistic about the midterms.  Plus, we get the Virginia Democratic leader's thoughts on Governor Abigail Spanberger's veto of a collective bargaining bill. Homelessness is on the rise in the District, according to a new city report, with advocates blaming human services program cuts and the aggressive clearing of encampments. Some fear that further slashing proposed in this year's budget could lead to an even greater increase in homelessness. We ask Ward 3 D.C. Councilmember and chair of the Human Services Committee Matt Frumin what the council is doing to help city residents most at-risk. Plus, we talk with him about how his ward could decide the city's mayoral race and the deepening crisis in the Metropolitan Police Department. Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/wamu.org

    49 min

  7. May 8

    The Politics Hour: VA Supreme Court strikes down redistricting and Montgomery County's battle over tax hikes

    The Virginia Supreme Court blocked the voter-passed redistricting amendment on Friday, sending shockwaves through the Commonwealth and the nation. The ruling dramatically alters Democrats' plans to take back the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, who represents Virginia's 10th Congressional District, joins the show to give us his take on the ruling and what comes next for his party. Maryland's own redistricting push appeared to be dead, but could recent rulings revive it? We ask WAMU's Maryland reporter Jenny Abamu what she's heard. Plus, the race to replace retiring Prince George's County Congressman Steny Hoyer is heating up. Nearly two dozen candidates are vying for the seat, including state legislators, county councilmembers, and former county executives. Jenny breaks down the huge field of candidates for us. A scandal has erupted in the Metropolitan Police Department over alleged crime data manipulation. Interim Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll has informed 13 MPD leaders that they are on administrative leave and are likely to be terminated for their alleged role in altering crime reports to classify them as lower-level offenses. WAMU's Senior D.C. Politics reporter Alex Koma gets behind the mic to break down what happened, the fallout, and its political implications. Montgomery County lawmakers are at odds over a proposed property tax hike to help fund schools. This week, the Montgomery County Council expressed its opposition to County Executive Marc Elrich's plan to raise property taxes by more than 6%. Instead, Council President Natali Fani-González is leading the charge for a progressive income tax as she explained recently on The Politics Hour. County Executive Elrich joins us to explain why he thinks the council's tax pitch is a "con job." Plus, we get Elrich's take on Councilmember (and candidate for County Executive) Evan Glass's proposal for a six-month moratorium on data center permitting. Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/wamu.org

    50 min

  8. May 1

    The Politics Hour: A year later, how has drastic federal workforce cuts changed the region?

    A new report from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments revealed that the D.C. area federal workforce is its lowest level in nearly 40 years. The Trump administration's 2025 cuts led to the loss of more than 60,000 federal jobs. Clark Mercer, who leads the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, joins the show to discuss what drastic job losses over the last year means for the region's economy, annual budgets, and social services. The D-C Council plans to vote yet again next week on an emergency measure to extend an enhanced youth curfew. But some councilmembers think there are better ways to stop so-called “teen takeovers.” Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker joins the show to give us his take on curfews and why he thinks there are other, better ways to deal with large gatherings of teens. Plus, we discuss the latest drama in the D.C. mayor's race and who he is endorsing in the city's biggest races. Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/wamu.org

    50 min

  9. Apr 24

    The Politics Hour: Virginia voters approved redistricting. So, what's next?

    Virginia voters approved a temporary redrawing of Congressional maps that is expected to give Democrats a 10-to-1 advantage and help national Democrats retake control of the House . But legal challenges remain. U.S. Representative James Walkinshaw (D-VA), who represents a large portion of Fairfax County, joined the show to explain what redistricting means for his constituents, the midterms, and beyond. Proposed tax hikes are taking center stage in Montgomery County's budget negotiations. Many councilmembers are rejecting County Executive Marc Elrich's pitch to raise property taxes. Council President Natali Fani-González released a proposal late last week that instead calls for a progressive income tax structure. Fani-González joined the show to break down her vision and why she's backing off from a labor agreement with county employees. Plus, we asked her to weigh in on who she wants to be the next county executive. Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/wamu.org

    50 min

  10. Apr 17

    The Politics Hour: The D.C. Council weighs in on the budget and the Maryland General Assembly wraps up

    The Maryland General Assembly wrapped its session this week, but not before a rowdy last few minutes. Lawmakers are touting major accomplishments such as the Utility RELIEF Act, a balanced budget, and a slew of anti-ICE bills. However, notable legislation was left on the Capitol floor, including election reforms and redistricting. State Senator Cheryl Kagan, who represents Montgomery County, got behind the mic to recap a busy session and what comes next. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser unveiled her proposed budget late last week. It includes significant cuts to childcare and paid leave programs. The budget now heads to the D.C. Council, with councilmembers looking to weigh in and approve it in June. At-Large Councilmember Doni Crawford joined the show to talk about the proposed cuts and what comes next. Plus, she gave us her thoughts on the Mayor extending youth curfew zones and the D.C. Delegate race turning nasty. Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885 Follow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/wamu.org

    50 min
  • 10 Episodes

4.8
out of 5
45 Ratings

About

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 engage directly with their local leaders.

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