The Middle: Why nonpartisans will decide 2020 election
In 2020, the base won’t decide who becomes president of the United States.
It will be the voters in the middle.
Hard-core Democrats will turn out in droves for the winner of the 2020 nominating contests, whoever that is. And Republicans will turn out to vote for President Donald Trump.
But what about everybody else? How will the growing segment of nonpartisan or independent voters — those who have not registered with either political party, or who have left partisan politics behind — vote in 2020?
That’s the question the Las Vegas Review-Journal seeks to answer in a yearlong series we’re calling The Middle.
Starting today, and continuing over the course of the coming year leading up to the 2020 election, Review-Journal reporters in Nevada and in other parts of the country will talk to nonpartisan and independent voters about their concerns, their issues and what they’re looking for in the candidates seeking the highest office in the land.
We’ll discuss with them why they became independents and abandoned the major parties. How did partisan politics drive them to officially register their neutrality? Was it worth doing so, even though their voices are restricted in the process, since they can’t help winnow the choices of either of the two major parties in primary elections or presidential caucuses? And even if they’ve left their old partisan registration behind, do they still lean toward one of the two major parties?
During the course of this series, we want to hear from nonpartisan voters. We want to hear their stories and share them with our readers. We’d like to learn what factors nonpartisan voters are weighing when it comes to making their 2020 choice. Which candidates appeal to them? Which don’t?
We’ll also invite some nonpartisan voters to join a panel that will meet occasionally throughout the 2020 campaign to discuss the election, political ads, debates and other issues. That input will help guide the Review-Journal’s coverage.
We welcome the chance to speak with you and add your voice to our coverage as the 2020 cycle unfolds. Because we know the coming election belongs not to the left or right, but to the middle.
Contact Steve Sebelius at SSebelius@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0253. Follow @SteveSebelius on Twitter.
Our political team is looking for active, registered nonpartisan voters interested in sharing their opinions on the 2020 elections. If you would like to participate in upcoming panels, please email us at themiddle@reviewjournal.com or contact us using the form below: