The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi

Next week, Virginia's government shifts to Democratic control as the party takes over the Governor's mansion, the General Assembly, and the Attorney General's office. It gives the Democrats a rare opportunity to push through bold legislation, even as several longtime lawmakers depart. Virginia's longest-serving House Delegate, Vivian Watts, got behind the mic to talk about top priorities for the upcoming legislative session, including increasing the minimum wage, reproductive care access, and redistricting. Del. Watts, chair of the finance committee, also explained the need for Metro funding. 

Last month, Maryland lawmakers made history by electing Prince George's County D...

Prince George’s County Council Chair Krystal Oriadha has a lot on her plate as she starts her one-year term. She’s looking to make child care more affordable, housing more obtainable, and the county safer. The council’s new leader will try to do all of this while navigating a growing budget gap. Chair Oriadha joined Kojo and Tom to discuss her priorities and whether data centers could be an answer to the county’s money challenges.

2025 was certainly an eventful year in national and local politics. We were joined for the last Politics Hour of the year...

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced late last month she would not be running for a fourth term, bringing to a close one of the longest mayoral tenures in the city's history. From guiding the District through a series of crises to bringing the football team home, Mayor Bowser has led D.C. through profound change.

Mayor Bowser joined the show to explain her decision not to run for reelection, her legacy, and what's next. Plus, who might she support to be the District's next Mayor? Also, D.C. police chief Pamela Smith is stepping down. We...

After months of weighing the decision, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced last month she would not run for a fourth term. Immediately, attention turned to who might jump into the race to replace her. The first major candidate to declare was Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George. She joined us to discuss her campaign rollout.

Lewis George said as a Democratic socialist, she is focused on affordability, income equality, and defending District residents, including from a federal takeover of the city, something President Trump has threatened on multiple occasions. Lewis George talked about what she sees as...

We took the Politics Hour on the road this week, broadcasting live from Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Virginia.

U.S. Representative James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) joined Kojo and Tom first on stage.

With elections and the government shutdown in the rearview mirror, we turned to what the future holds for the commonwealth. Federal cuts continue to affect Northern Virginia's economy, but perhaps not in the way some initially feared. As Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger prepares to take office in January, many Virginia Democrats believe the party's big wins in statewide elections should translate to an aggressive...

Congress voted on Wednesday to end the longest federal shutdown in the nation's history. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine joined a handful of Democrats to broker a deal with Senate Republicans. The deal included reversing some federal layoffs and guaranteeing payment for furloughed workers. 

What it did not include was an extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits, a provision many Democrats insisted Republicans needed to add before they'd approve a funding bill. Sen. Kaine joined the show to explain why he voted to end the shutdown, despite pushback from many in his own party.

K...

Virginia Democrats had a big night in Tuesday's elections, sweeping all the statewide races and winning a supermajority in the House of Delegates. We broke down the historic election from all angles. We dove into the results with WAMU's Northern Virginia reporter, Margaret Barthel, and David Poole, founder of the Virginia Public Access Project.

We were then joined by one of the big winners, Lieutenant Governor-elect Ghazala Hashmi, to discuss what it means for Virginians and her historic election victory as the first Muslim woman to win statewide office in the U.S.

During the...

All eyes are on Virginia ahead of next week's statewide elections. Recent polls continue to show Democrat Abigail Spanberger leading Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, while both the Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General races are in virtual dead heats. We previewed Virginia's upcoming elections with WAMU's Northern Virginia reporter Margaret Barthel and former U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA). 

A split ticket remains a possibility, said Davis, meaning that members of different parties could be elected to the three statewide offices. "Divided government can work very well when you have adults at the helm," he said. "When you don't, i...

Montgomery County is home to more than 50,000 federal workers and numerous federal agencies, so residents are feeling the impact of the weeks-long shutdown. Plus, the possibility remains for tens of thousands of federal employees to be fired as the shutdown continues. Local officials are sounding the alarm on rising rates of homelessness and longer lines at food banks. Council President Kate Stewart joined the show to discuss how the county is managing the crisis. She also weighed in on the Council's upheaval and Maryland lawmakers considering calling a special session of the General Assembly to redraw the state's congressional...

U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) joined the show to discuss the federal shutdown, as it drags on with no apparent end in sight. The Trump administration is continuing to lay off federal employees, while threatening to terminate thousands more. Maryland's and Virginia's congressional delegations gathered together this week to urge the White House to stop the federal cuts and end the government shutdown.

Democrats are holding out for a spending bill that includes a permanent extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits. As Americans begin shopping for health care coverage, Sen. Alsobrooks said time is...