Podcast
Max Politics
Hosted by Max Politics · EN
Max Politics is a New York politics podcast hosted by journalist Ben Max featuring in-depth interviews with elected and appointed officials, candidates, advocates, and others about New York City and State politics and policy. Produced at New York Law School and its Center for New York Law. Get in touch: benmax25@gmail.com
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Intro/outro music is Live-It by Ketsa. source (Free Music Archive) and license type (CC BY-NC-ND)
70episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Taking Stock of Mayor Mamdani's First 6 Months, with Matt Wing
2d ago01:02:22Summary readyStrategist Matt Wing joined host Ben Max to analyze Mayor Zohran Mamdani's first six months in office, which included staffing up his administration, his first state and city budget cycles, attempting to follow through on major campaign promises, dealing with unexpected challenges and key relationships, celebrating a Knicks championship, and getting involved in a series of Democratic primary races. (Ep 602)
SummaryJordan Wright on Winning His Assembly Primary, Uptown Politics, & More
6d ago00:51:26Summary readyNew York State Assembly Member Jordan Wright, a Democrat representing Manhattan's 70th Assembly District, based in Harlem, joined the show to discuss his win over a DSA-backed challenger, shifting Uptown and Democratic politics, the results in the overlapping 13th Congressional District (where Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated Rep. Adriano Espaillat), and more. (Ep 601)
SummaryArpit Gupta on Opposing Mamdani's Rent Freeze & Securing the Future of Rent-Stabilized Housing
2w ago01:05:04Summary readyArpit Gupta, a member of the New York City Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) and an associate professor of finance at NYU's Stern School of Business, joined the show to discuss his lone dissenting vote as the RGB approved a rent freeze for rent-stabilized tenants, fulfilling a key campaign promise made in 2025 by Mayor Mamdani. Gupta also discussed a variety of aspects of the city's rent-stabilized housing stock and system, and what comes next for the roughly 1 million rent-stabilized apartments. (Ep 600)
SummaryJulia Salazar on the Growth of DSA, the Future of Democratic Politics, & More
2w ago00:58:46Summary readyState Senator Julia Salazar, a Brooklyn Democrat and democratic socialist, joined the show to discuss the growth of NYC DSA, how democratic socialists work outside and within the Democratic Party, the NY-7 congressional race where she had allies on both sides of the primary, and more. (Ep 599)
SummaryBrad Lander on Winning the NY-10 Primary, Democratic Unity, & What Comes Next
2w ago00:46:44Summary readyBrad Lander joined the show to discuss his win in the Democratic primary for New York's 10th Congressional District (Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn), where he defeated Rep. Dan Goldman, Democratic Party unity, political trends in New York and nationally, and some of the substantive issues he wants to focus on in Congress. (Ep 598)
SummaryState Party Chair Jay Jacobs on New York’s 2026 Democratic Primaries & What Comes Next
2w ago00:58:47Summary readyJay Jacobs, chair of the New York State Democratic Party, joined the show to discuss the results of the 2026 state and congressional primaries, preview the general election, assess Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani, and examine Democratic Party division, unity, and policy. (Ep 597)
SummaryJumaane Williams on the 2026 New York Primary Results & What Comes Next
2w ago01:02:58Summary readyNew York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams joined the show to discuss the results of the 2026 federal and state primary elections in New York City, the continued rise of Zohran Mamdani and the DSA, the future of the Democratic Party, and more. (Ep 596)
SummaryNew York State Legislative Primaries to Watch, with Jeff Coltin, Rebecca Lewis, & Holly Pretsky
3w ago00:54:10Summary readyThree journalists from City & State New York joined the show to discuss New York state legislative primaries to watch in the June 2026 elections. Jeff Coltin, Rebecca Lewis, and Holly Pretsky spoke with host Ben Max about a variety of interesting and competitive Democratic primaries for the State Senate and Assembly, broader themes of these primary elections like Mayor Mamdani's endorsements, and more. (Ep 595)
SummaryNYC DSA Co-Chairs on the 2026 Primaries, Mayor Mamdani, & More
3w ago01:14:41Summary readyThe co-chairs of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America (NYC DSA), Grace Mausser and Gustavio Gordillo, joined the show to discuss the 2026 primary elections, NYC DSA's priority races and electoral strategy, Mayor Mamdani's endorsements, and more. (Ep 594)
SummaryRaj Goyle on His Campaign for New York State Comptroller
4w ago01:14:13Summary readyRaj Goyle, a candidate in the June 2026 Democratic primary for New York State Comptroller, joined the show to discuss his campaign platform, why he believes Comptroller Tom DiNapoli should be replaced as the state's chief fiscal officer, his views on a variety of policy and budget matters, and more. (Ep 593)
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