The Japan Times - NBC’s Steve Kornacki Reveals Tech Habits Ahead of Midterm Elections

Steve Kornacki, the NBC data analyst who rose to national prominence during the 2020 presidential election, is preparing for another high-stakes broadcast cycle. As midterm election day approaches, Kornacki has offered a glimpse into the personal habits and technological preferences of one of America’s most recognizable political commentators. The revelation comes as he navigates the intense pressure of election night coverage, a role that has transformed him from a behind-the-scenes statistician into a central figure in American political culture.

Kornacki first captured the public imagination in 2020 during the presidential contest between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. His enthusiastic, state-by-state breakdown of election results resonated with viewers navigating a tense political landscape. The coverage led to widespread internet fame, including being named one of People magazine’s sexiest men alive and earning nicknames such as "chartthrob" and "map daddy." His popularity was further cemented during the 2026 midterm primary season, when his "Kornacki Cam" behind-the-scenes livestreams accumulated 42 million views.

Despite this digital footprint, Kornacki describes himself as someone who does not possess the habits of a chronically online individual. He admits to knowing little about internet memes and is unsure what a subreddit is. When asked about his favorite meme, he responded with uncertainty, stating, "I guess I'm not really a meme person." This disconnect between his public persona and private digital life extends to his daily technology use.

Kornacki’s primary computing device is a Dell laptop running Windows 7 Pro, an operating system that has been obsolete for years. He described the computer as being in its office at NBC for as long as he has worked there, noting that it is on its "last leg" because he has been too lazy to replace it. He expressed a general aversion to Mac computers, recalling a past experience where he found them frustrating despite their reputation for user-friendliness.

His smartphone usage is similarly modest. Kornacki recently upgraded to an iPhone 17 Pro, breaking one phone per year on average. He noted that while the camera is supposedly better, he does not notice a significant difference and values the battery life, which lasts approximately ten days. His average daily screen time is recorded at three hours and 35 minutes, a figure he described as "depressing" when calculated against his waking hours.

Kornacki’s approach to communication tools reflects his preference for simplicity. He avoids FaceTime and Zoom, citing a dislike for the formalities of video calls. "I like just talking on the phone where you don't have to worry about appearances or anything," he explained. He recalled becoming sick of Zoom during the pandemic and now avoids it whenever possible. His last FaceTime call was with a cousin over the summer during a family reunion.

His email inbox contains 53,828 unread messages, a number that has grown so large it no longer overwhelms him. "It's just part of the furniture," he said. He compared managing his email to a game of seeing how high the count can get, whereas he still controls his text message backlog, which sits at 75 unread items. He occasionally clears his texts but finds email management insurmountable.

Kornacki’s social media usage is limited to X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube. He uses X to stay aware of current events but questioned its healthiness. YouTube serves as a platform for his livestreams, where he has built a community with viewers during primary seasons. He finds the development of this community "kind of cool," despite his general reluctance toward digital platforms.

His news consumption habits lean toward traditional media. His favorite news source is the print edition of The New York Post. He expressed a love for old-school newspapers and the experience of buying them at a newsstand, though he considered subscribing to the tabloid. This preference for physical media contrasts with his reliance on digital tools for his professional work.

Kornacki’s professional preparation for the upcoming midterms involves a mix of traditional methods and new technology. He recently used artificial intelligence to overlay candidate benchmarks onto a map of Minnesota counties for the Senate race. While he acknowledged that AI produced a cleaner, more professional-looking result than his previous method of hand-writing benchmarks, he expressed queasiness about the practice. "Maybe the act of writing them out myself actually maybe helps me internalize it better," he said, questioning whether using AI was a "bad move." He noted that while AI saved him an hour, he remains skeptical of its role in his workflow.

His research methods also include manual investigation. For the Maine Senate race, where results come in by town rather than county, he personally researched Boothbay Harbor’s 2024 presidential election results to identify potential blind spots. He described having panicky thoughts about specific states during election season and using social media to quickly fix any gaps in his knowledge.

Kornacki’s nostalgia extends to cable television bundles, which he misses for their simplicity compared to the fragmented streaming landscape. He noted that trying to watch football games during election season now requires multiple streaming products, whereas a single cable package once provided comprehensive access. When asked where he falls on the "tech hygiene" spectrum, he declined to answer, stating, "I don't want to make myself a target with the answer."

As midterm election day arrives, Kornacki remains acutely aware of the expectations placed upon him. "I get very anxious about being prepared for election night," he said, describing a cycle of anxiety followed by attempts to prepare using his phone. His preparation involves a blend of outdated technology, selective digital tools, and a deep reliance on traditional journalistic instincts.

Kornacki’s favorite music app is Spotify, where his all-time top song is "My Girl" by The Temptations. He noted that his listening age was previously calculated as 87 years old, highlighting a generational gap in his cultural consumption. His favorite tech product is an Anker charger, which he described as transformative for its ability to provide long battery life from a short charge.

Despite his fame and digital presence, Kornacki maintains a distance from internet culture. He does not use emojis, though he occasionally uses the thumbs-up reaction on text messages. He admitted to mispronouncing "emojis" as "emoj-eyes" and noted that he might start using the wink emoji because his jokes do not always come through in text. He has no burner accounts and would not disclose them if he did.

His recent activities include driving through Sergeantsville, New Jersey, for two hours of free time before taking a train to Washington, D.C. This brief respite underscores the demanding nature of his job, which requires constant travel and preparation. As he faces the upcoming election coverage, Kornacki’s approach remains grounded in a mix of old-school diligence and cautious adoption of new tools, reflecting a professional who is both integral to the modern political landscape and somewhat apart from it.

H.Nakamura--JT