Want to Be Informed About the 2020 Presidential Election? These Podcasts Are For You

Hosted by political consultants and friends David Axelrod (who's a Democrat) and Mike Murphy (who's a Republican), this weekly podcast offers expert insight into the 2020 presidential election from the perspective of campaign veterans. Together, Axelrod and Murphy discuss political strategies from both sides and break down the ins and outs of campaigning in a way that actually makes sense.

Listen to Hacks on Tap With David Axelrod and Mike Murphy now.

If you're looking for straightforward, unbiased updates from the campaign trail, this NPR podcast is for you. In this daily podcast, NPR's political reporters discuss the biggest news coming out of Washington, and since most episodes are less than 15 minutes long, this one makes staying informed quick and easy.

Listen to The NPR Politics Podcast now.

Featuring journalists Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz, Slate's weekly Political Gabfest offers unscripted and totally uncensored banter on the most pressing political news of the week, including updates on the 2020 presidential campaigns. All topics are discussed from various political viewpoints, which is what makes this one so informative, fun, and smart.

Listen to Political Gabfest now.

Based on the website of the same name (which takes its name from the number of electors in the US electoral college), this weekly ESPN production is hosted by FiveThirtyEight founder Nate Silver, who provides in-depth political discussions and the latest polling data. For non-biased, data-driven political news, this podcast should be your go-to.

Listen to FiveThirtyEight Politics now.

Hosted by four former aides to President Obama — Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor — this biweekly Crooked Media podcast invites journalists, politicians, and activists onto the show for no-BS conversations about politics and the 2020 election. Though not without its biases, Pod Save America is sharp and wildly funny, and it even has a three-episode series specifically focused on the vice president selection process called That's The Ticket.

Listen to Pod Save America now.

In this bipartisan political podcast, authors and friends Sarah Stewart Holland (a progressive) and Beth Silvers (a conservative) discuss politics, the government, and what it means to be an American citizen in 2020. Their conversations are always refreshingly nuanced and unfailingly respectful, which is what makes this one a breath of fresh air.

Listen to Pantsuit Politics now.

Hosted by journalist Matt Taibbi and political commentator Katie Halper, this weekly podcast from Rolling Stone offers extensive coverage of the 2020 campaign with exclusive interviews and unfiltered discussions. Taibbi and Halper somehow manage to be both impartial and opinionated, and listening to this will make you feel like you're debating politics with friends.

Listen to Useful Idiots With Matt Taibbi and Katie Halper now.

TV journalist Chuck Todd — who's the current moderator of NBC's Meet the Press — hosts this weekly NBC News podcast, where he invites top Washington reporters onto the show to talk about the 2020 presidential race and updates from the campaign trail. Though Todd isn't necessarily the best listener, there's no denying that he provides some pretty entertaining and insightful commentary.

Listen to The Chuck ToddCast: Meet the Press now.

Informative, analytical, and (mostly) objective, this weekly POLITICO production focuses on the poll numbers and reveals what's really going on behind closed doors in Washington. If you want someone to explain the latest Federal Election Commission reports in a way that's not over your head, journalist Scott Bland is your guy.

Listen to POLITICO's Nerdcast now.

Hosted by lobbyist and political strategist David Plouffe (who's best known as the campaign manager for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign), this weekly Cadence13 podcast reveals insight into what it takes to win the White House. Plouffe's guests include campaign insiders, state directors, digital experts, and others who don't just have opinions on the 2020 presidential campaign — they have actual know-how.

Listen to Campaign HQ With David Plouffe now.

Atlantic political correspondent Isaac Dovere hosts this podcast, which features conversations on politics and policies between Dovere and guests who have included Susan Rice, Andrew Yang, and Stacey Abrams, among many others. This one won't just give you insight into the 2020 presidential election: it will give you a better understanding of American politics on a whole.

Listen to The Ticket: Politics From The Atlantic now.