One of the most frequently cited takeaways from the 2024 presidential election was that podcasts proved an effective way to reach voters, with Donald Trump’s appearances on nearly two dozen shows giving him an edge among certain audiences. Whether or not you agree with that assessment, it’s indisputable that the political podcast industry has attracted significant attention from both national media and elected officials since last November.

This year, politicians in Washington and elsewhere have eagerly traded the 30-second soundbites of cable news hits for the hours-long, unfiltered intimacy of the podcast studio. While many elected officials have been guests on popular podcasts like This Past Weekend with Theo Von or Pod Save America, more than a few have tried their hand at hosting their own shows—with decidedly mixed results.

In the past few years, more than two dozen leading elected officials have attempted to host their own podcasts. However, beyond a few standout successes, most are finding that building a loyal listener base is much harder than it appears. According to data from leading podcast analytics platform Podscribe, only a handful of podcasts hosted by elected officials have successfully built large audiences: