The Politician-to-Podcaster Pipeline Is Getting Crowded

More politicians are starting podcasts, hoping to reach voters through a medium that has become influential in recent elections. The trend includes new shows by New York City Council member Chi Ossé and outgoing Representative Nancy Mace, amid growing debate over whether political podcasting is becoming overcrowded.

Ossé’s Crooked Media show, World War Chi, will mostly cover cultural topics with what he calls a “slow IV drip of socialism”; Mace’s Get Maced has more than 100,000 YouTube subscribers. Spotify data cited by Axios found that winning congressional candidates in the 2026 midterms made nearly three times as many podcast appearances as their losing opponents. The article argues that podcasts can broaden political debate, but politicians may use friendly formats to avoid tough questions and should focus on governing as well as building audiences.