What emerged as a defining feature of the 2024 presidential race has now taken root in down-ballot contests, with the high-profile New York City mayoral race offering the clearest evidence that the “Podcast Election” isn’t a one-time phenomenon.
Edison Podcast Metrics found that from January through October 2025, leading candidates in New York City and New Jersey appeared on dozens of podcasts. NYC Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani joined 31 episodes, while New Jersey Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill participated in 18, highlighting how political campaigns now prioritize long-form digital interviews alongside traditional media.
Edison Podcast Metrics estimates podcasts featuring Mamdani reached about 12.5 million weekly listeners aged 18 and older, compared to 1.2 million for Cuomo. Programs hosting Sherrill collectively reached more than four million weekly listeners, compared to 972,000 featuring Ciattarelli.
The findings continue to show evidence of audio’s expanding value as a modern campaign communication tool. It also shows Democrats learned a lesson from Republicans, who were way more ubiquitous in podcast appearances during the 2024 cycle.
Even with podcasts’ rising influence, radio continues to play a complementary role in informing and engaging voters. Edison Research’s 2024 data found nearly one-third of weekly podcast listeners recall hearing election discussions on AM/FM. That same study positioned AM/FM close to major social platforms in election-related recall, performing beside Instagram, TikTok, and X, and just behind YouTube and Facebook. Radio’s established credibility and accessibility keep it relevant amid digital growth.
Morning Consult data has shown the trust in AM/FM increasing from 60% in 2020 to 65% in 2024. Campaign teams from both parties continue to use talk and news formats to reach a more diverse group of voters across various regions.
The 2025 cycle demonstrates how candidate appearances, whether on podcasts or radio, are now fundamental to campaign strategy. By combining radio’s broadcast reliability with podcasting’s targeted reach, political communicators can now engage audiences across every major audio touchpoint.
