Podcasting has emerged as a major force in political outreach, with Edison Research calling the 2025 election cycle “the podcast election.” Their latest report reveals how leading candidates used podcast interviews to reach millions of potential voters — particularly younger audiences.
In New York City’s mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani appeared on 31 different podcasts in 2025, compared to Andrew Cuomo’s 18. Edison estimates Mamdani’s podcast appearances reached an average of 12.5 million U.S. weekly listeners, while Cuomo’s only reached 1.2 million. Mamdani went on to win decisively, especially among younger voters.
A similar pattern was seen in New Jersey’s gubernatorial race. Mikie Sherrill appeared on podcasts with a combined estimated reach of 4.1 million weekly listeners, while opponent Jack Ciattarelli’s appearances reached just 972,000. Sherrill also won by a significant margin.
While Edison cautions that podcast reach doesn’t guarantee votes, the trend is clear: podcasts are becoming a critical channel for political communication. Unlike TV or social media soundbites, podcast interviews allow candidates to engage in longer, more personal conversations — often building trust with hard-to-reach voters.
The data points to an important shift: campaigns in 2026 and beyond may prioritize podcasting as a key component of voter engagement strategy.
