City Cast DC logo
December 9, 2025

Police Chief Retires, Council Shake Up, And Why DC Politics Will Be Wild in 2026

City Cast DC

Police Chief Retires, Council Shake Up, And Why DC Politics Will Be Wild in 2026

00:00:00
View all City Cast DC episodes

We already know Mayor Bowser isn’t running for another term, but both Councilmember Anita Bonds and MPD Chief Pamela Smith also just announced their retirements, meaning a real shakeup is coming for the DC government. WAMU's Alex Koma is here to explain what all of these resignations mean for the city and why the 2026 field is looking so crowded.

Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month.

Learn more about the sponsors of this December 9th episode:

Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST

Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Hey DC

Stay connected to City Cast DC and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Latest Episodes

See all
April 15

The Map Killing Housing In DC

DC is a big city, but did you know that it’s actually illegal to build anything other than a suburban-style house in most of it? Accordin...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
April 14

Painful Cuts, Bright Spots, Shit Sandwich? The New DC Budget

The mayor has just rolled out her final budget and it’s pretty painful. Jenny Reed walked us through the administration’s theory of the c...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
April 13

Why the Holocaust Museum Censored Itself Before Trump Even Asked

We’re talking about another Trump-era controversy at a DC cultural institution — in this case, the Holocaust Museum, which last year yank...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
April 12

'Your City Could Be Better': Why Portland’s Considering Hiring a Night Mayor  — Presented By City Cast DC

Washingtonians, what do you do when your night life starts to dwindle? Nightlife is a huge economic driver for cities, but city offices a...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
April 10

Dirt Bike Debate, Penn Ave Redo, Goodbye (Maybe?!) to Ovi

DC is starting to feel like an old Dennis the Menace cartoon. Last week, the city was up in arms about teens running wild at Navy Yard. T...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
April 9

The Washington Post's New Food Critic Tells All

Once upon a time, the food critic of the Washington Post was an all-powerful — and totally anonymous — figure in the local restaurant ind...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
April 8

Inside the Architecture of DC's Homes

Have you always wanted to be one of those people who can tell a Georgian D.C. rowhouse from a Federal D.C. rowhouse, or drop the name of...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
April 7

How 56,000 Lost Jobs Could Change DC Forever

The DC area lost 56,000 jobs in 2025, the worst of any major Metro area. But is it as bad as it sounds? Tracy Haddon Low of the Brookings...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
April 6

DC’s Best Hangover Foods

The hangover— it happens to the best of us, it can even happen if you don't drink! So crack open that Pedialyte and settle in, because An...

City Cast DC podcast episode art
April 5

'Your City Could Be Better': Denver’s Bet on a Women’s Soccer Stadium — Presented By City Cast D.C.

While both D.C. and Denver have a professional Women's Soccer team (go Spirit!), Denver is only the second city in the U.S. to build a st...

City Cast DC podcast episode art