Being an incumbent has its advantages. Whether it’s name recognition, existing campaign infrastructure, or political experience, incumbents have historically held an upper hand in elections. However, recent global trends contradict this phenomenon.
In liberal democracies, the past few years have been terrible for incumbent parties.
In the United States and around the world, voters continue to feel frustrated by issues of affordability and inflation following the Covid-19 pandemic. This largely accounts for the Democrats' electoral defeat in 2024 and the resurgence of Donald Trump and the GOP.
Independent voters are pragmatic. If the GOP does not adequately address the issues that concern independent voters, they can expect to succumb to the anti-incumbent trends in the 2026 midterms and the 2028 Presidential Election.
Independent voters hold the power. Expectations are high for the incoming administration, but global trends indicate that patience is wearing thin with the status quo political parties. Four more years of gridlock and ineffectiveness will likely intensify this discontent.
