Independents of America Unite!

"Forty-five percent of American adults identify as a political independent. There are now more of us independents than there are adults who identify as Republican or Democrat: Just 27 percent each choose one of those affiliations. The share of independents has grown steadily for the past three decades, and is now larger than at any time in the years that Gallup polls have tracked the political group."

"To me, being an independent means that I want the best versions of both the Republican and Democratic Parties, and I am open to a candidate from either in a given election, but neither coalition, even at its best, is a good-enough fit to satisfy me on all of the issues that I care about."

"The cohort does not agree on any champion, or even a short list of potential champions, for 2028, and even if it did, third-party bids are fraught (they risk throwing the election to a worse major-party candidate) and hard to organize."

Independents represent 45 percent of American adults, surpassing the 27 percent who identify as Republicans or Democrats individually. This share has grown steadily over three decades and reached historic highs in Gallup polling. Despite their numerical strength, independents face structural barriers preventing electoral viability. The group lacks consensus on candidates and unified strategy, with members defining independence differently. Many independents avoid primary elections at higher rates than partisan voters, resulting in general-election candidates less aligned with independent preferences. Third-party candidacies face inherent risks of splitting votes and lack organizational infrastructure. Independents have never developed collective decision-making mechanisms comparable to major parties.

Read at The Atlantic