The 2026 Midterms are coming, the 2026 Midterms are coming! We’ve flipped the calendar to May, and we are weeks away from states across the country holding primaries before the general election in November.
It will be a time for candidates to make their pitches to your audience, for you to analyze the local races as they ebb and flow through the primary and general elections, and for you to find out who the rising stars are in your backyard.
As we get set for this silly, but oftentimes entertaining season, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Why Endorse in a Primary?
I see news/talk hosts occasionally dip their toes into the water of endorsements, most notably in primaries, and I always wonder, “Why?”
What are you getting out of this? What’s the value in you potentially alienating a portion of the audience so you can act like you’re backing a “winner”? And do you lose out on interviewing other candidates who don’t want to come on your show because you’ve already picked a horse in the race?
Also, if that person doesn’t win, and then the opponent goes on to win a general election, they’ll never forget the fact that you endorsed in a primary in favor of one of their opponents.
It’s a classic example of your downside far outweighing your upside. Your endorsement doesn’t carry as much weight as you think, and you risk potentially damaging a key relationship and connection with your audience.
And considering your job is ultimately to put on the most entertaining and informative show possible, potentially losing that ability to book a key guest in a big, local political position is a loss for your audience.
Don’t Overdo Candidate Interviews
This may seem counterintuitive to my last point, but it’s not intended to be that way. Having the candidates is far less valuable than having access to the eventual winner of the election. Once they’re in office, that relationship is gold.
But as a candidate, it’s very rare you’re going to get a ton of great insight, or that “can’t-miss” sound byte. These candidates are so over-protected by the political consulting class that they are playing it safer than ever before. Plus, most regular listeners are just mildly engaged or focused on a primary until we get down to crunch time in the last couple of weeks.
Then, it’s like college, where everyone is cramming for their final exam. But months or weeks out, the occasional interview — if any at all — will do just fine. Don’t overdo it with the usual cliché answers that mean nothing, especially when most of the audience isn’t focused on the race yet anyway. And think about how much money that airtime would be worth had they paid for it. It’s likely thousands of dollars. So make them earn it.
I know for some hosts, booking the guest is important, but it has to be the right guest on the right day that moves the needle for the right reasons. Guests and candidates, for the sake of it, are not going to achieve that goal.
Not All Races Are Created Equally
Depending on your market, you may have multiple states with multiple races in each one. State-wide campaigns, congressional races, local county races, or municipal elections — they all matter in their own way, but pick and choose your times to talk about them. When there is something controversial in a race, jump on that one, even if it’s not the “biggest” of the bunch. It’s a good excuse to show your local chops and talk about anything controversial that may be happening in that race.
Think about races that are key for your hot zips, or races that impact hot zips that you want to have more of a presence in. The point is to be strategic. Don’t just talk about a race because, well, you think you should.
It’s OK to go days without talking about any local race if it’s weeks away and there’s nothing new to report. Don’t force it.
As you gear up for your local races, protect your station and show with a smart, creative strategy that keeps the election in the news cycle without letting it own everything you do on the air.
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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.
