This is a guest post, curated and written by Aileen Day of Underheard, a newsletter turning up the volume on progressive podcasting.
Podcasts Covering the 2026 Midterm Elections
Each issue of our newsletter is curated by a different person.
Election week is a lot
The count will take days, and the noise will be loud the whole way through. At Underheard, a newsletter on progressive podcasting, we spend our time with the shows that help people make sense of politics, especially the ones that deserve a bigger audience.
This year, that matters more than ever: for the first midterm since 2002, no late-night show will be live on election night, and C-SPAN is set to simulcast creator streams for the first time. Podcasts are where a lot of us now watch the results come in, and where we go afterward to figure out what they mean.
Here are 10 progressive shows covering the election live, plus the ones breaking it down the day after, whether you want the numbers, the analysis or just good company. Election night times are Eastern.
10 Podcasts Covering the Election
Election night used to mean picking a cable channel. Now you can pick the room you want to be in, on the night-of and every day after: the data nerds, the organizers, the comedians, the reporters on the ground.
We hope this list helps you find a few shows that keep you informed and keep you company, because the count takes time, and so does making sense of it.
If you want to go deeper, Underheard’s What to Watch When the Polls Close walks through the early races.
Our Conservative Podcast Tracker breaks down the election-doubt claims right-wing podcasts have been priming their listeners with all year, so you’ll recognize them as the count goes on.
The Day(s) After
The count won’t be done by Wednesday morning, especially in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Alaska. These shows will help you make sense of where things stand.
When it tapes: Tuesday night, after the live election stream
When it publishes: Wednesday morning, as a bonus reaction episode.
What it covers: Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor go through the results and what they mean.
When it tapes: ~3am Tuesday morning
When it publishes: Wednesday morning. New episodes usually go up weekdays around 6am.
What it covers: The New York Times’ daily news show. Tuesday’s episode was an election night guide with chief political analyst Nate Cohn, so expect Wednesday’s to be the first big read on the results.
When it’s live: Wednesday at noon on YouTube.
When it publishes: the podcast version goes up later the same day.
What it covers: Sam Seder and Emma Vigeland’s daily show, with the morning-after breakdown and listener calls.
When it publishes: weekday mornings. Plus subscribers get early access.
What it covers: Allison Gill’s daily news podcast, on the results and the legal fights likely to follow.
The live tapings go into each show’s regular feed afterward. No release dates have been announced.
Pod Save America Live: Thursday, Nov. 5, 8pm at the Warner Theatre.
Lovett or Leave It Live: Friday, Nov. 6, 7pm at Capital Turnaround.
Strict Scrutiny Live: Friday, Nov. 6, 8pm at the Howard Theatre.
Crooked Con: Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Ronald Reagan Building.
Thank you to Aileen for curating this issue of our newsletter. Become a curator here.
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