This week, we saw the end of multiple candidacies from individuals with news/talk backgrounds. Most notable was Curtis Sliwa’s long-shot New York City mayoral bid. However, former WRVA host John Reid also lost his race to become the next lieutenant governor of Virginia. In the primary season, WKXW’s Bill Spadea ran for governor of New Jersey but came up short against Jack Ciattarelli.
Some may view this as media personalities failing in their bid to become politicians; however, all three were facing uphill battles, either in the primary or the general election.
Does this mean the media-to-politics pipeline is broken? Not at all.
In fact, there’s a recent example of a former radio host working his way up to vice president: Mike Pence. Pence transitioned from talk show host to member of Congress, then to governor, and ultimately to vice president under President Trump during his first term in office.
The TV path may include more notable figures, such as Donald Trump, Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura, and Al Franken. But does it mean the radio path is not a viable one? Absolutely not.
In fact, I expect a political landscape that will include even more media personalities in the years to come. Before his tragic assassination, there were already discussions that Charlie Kirk might be a future presidential candidate. President Trump has hired multiple key figures with TV backgrounds, and his own VP, JD Vance, became a household name as an author (Hillbilly Elegy).
In the current administration, Pete Hegseth, Dan Bongino, Jeanine Pirro, Mike Huckabee, and Dr. Oz all come from the media world.
In a fragmented environment with limited attention spans, having the draw of a candidate who already has a built-in audience—whether through radio, TV, podcasting, or YouTube—can be an early leg up for any candidate. That’s not to say they are guaranteed to win anything. Fundraising, campaigning, policy ideas, and the ability to connect with voters still matter much more, along with the specific race a person is running in. However, it can be a boost out of the gates, which, in the right race with the right environment, can make a big difference.
People are seeking a genuine connection with their candidates. They are still interested in hearing from people who are not already in elected office. The “outsider” candidate remains appealing. These are all qualities that Donald Trump figured out early in his 2015 campaign.
As the political establishment mocked him, he was growing his support. He knew how to cultivate an audience, in part thanks to his years in television and other media. In today’s world, where it’s more complicated than ever for a personality to keep an audience growing and engaged, those who know how to do it will succeed on various platforms and can find themselves succeeding on the campaign trail.
The bottom line? The intersection of media and politics isn’t going away. If anything, it’s becoming more common — and more influential.
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Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the Vice President of News/Talk for Cumulus Media, while also hosting “Mundo in the Morning” and programming KCMO Talk Radio in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on X @PeteMundo.
