Steve Kornacki on the success of his U.S. midterms YouTube livestream

Election nights are fast moving, high stakes, and filled with data. When it came to breaking down the 2026 U.S. midterms, Steve Kornacki’s work on the Big Board was a staple of election night coverage. On YouTube, Kornacki and NBC News brought people closer to the action with "Kornacki Cam," an unfiltered, 10+ hour livestream giving viewers a front-row seat to realtime results.

This behind-the-scenes coverage was the biggest election-related livestream on YouTube on November 3, 2026, peaking at over 350,000 concurrent viewers at 10:19 p.m. ET. We caught up with Steve (after he had some rest) for a look at what it takes to pull off Kornacki Cam.

Kornacki was quick to point out that he and his team had a lot of practice and preparation for this night going all the way back to primaries over the winter. The most fun part, he says, is watching the community take shape. Being able to interact with viewers brings a different dynamic to his coverage, whether it’s a local primary or a national election.

Watch the full Creator Insider interview with Steve Kornacki to learn more.