An Emerging Consensus Of Common Sense?

American politics is clearly in flux. With "progressive" pressures from the left and "populist" pressures from the right, most voters in the proverbial "middle" may be looking for a less ideological path forward. Recently, there's been a lot of discussion about the emergence of "normie voters"—those who look to candidates and causes that are less cutting-edge and more commonsensical. 

The best example of this may be Hispanic voters—whose adherence to traditional values has been (in many states) moving them away from the Democratic Party. But it doesn't appear that this will necessarily be a win for Republicans. These voters—and others—seem to be tired of the polarizing rhetoric coming from both parties. 

So, what does this mean for the shape of the American electorate in the years ahead? While it's probably too early to tell, there does appear to be a developing consensus that too radical a set of changes—in either direction—is bad for the nation. This new embryonic "common sense" voter will look to candidates who can simply make their lives better, without the 'virtue signaling' baggage of both the left and the right.

The results of the upcoming midterms may help define the outline of this amorphous new common sense voter. Candidates of both parties who can appeal to these new voter desires could result in some surprise outcomes. Moreover, the increasing talk of a third party option in the 2024 presidential election might also play into this phenomenon. Who knows? The next few years might just bring about a return to normalcy in American politics.