The election鈥檚 other message
On Tuesday night, American voters handed Republicans the White House, the Senate, and 鈥� it looks likely 鈥� the House. That tilt toward one-party rule in Washington hides another political realignment that may be just as consequential. According to Edison Research, the share of Independent voters in this election equaled Republicans and 鈥� in a first 鈥� surpassed Democrats. The electorate鈥檚 changing composition may be why, despite the rancor of campaigning, many people in聽the country聽are聽bending more toward unity and reconciliation.
Pause for a moment in Michigan. The state flipped from blue in 2020 to red in 2024, but for local officials in Manistee County, something else seemed to matter more. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 need to hyphenate being American; we鈥檙e all Americans,鈥� a Republican member of the County Board of Commissioners told the Manistee News Advocate. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the vision I wish to see realized 鈥� a united America rather than a qualified or divided one.鈥�
Judy Cunningham, treasurer of the local Democratic Party, struck a similar note. 鈥淚n the end, I was relieved that democracy won last night,鈥� she told the newspaper. 鈥淲e have the opportunity to put our country together and heal the wounds. It鈥檚 not about what party wins. It鈥檚 about continuing our democracy.鈥�
In Alaska, the election reshuffled what may be one of the United States鈥� most novel approaches to state government. Bipartisan majorities will control both chambers of the state legislature. In both the House and the Senate, Republicans, Democrats, and independents will share leadership jobs and set rules together for passing bills. 鈥淎laskans have spoken clearly and we will work together, representing residents of all regions,鈥� incoming Speaker Bryce Edgmon, an independent, vowed in a statement.
A similar experiment in shared governing is underway in Oregon. During the campaign season, Gov. Tina Kotek went on a 鈥渓istening tour鈥� across all 36 counties and nine sovereign tribal nations. Several lawmakers made similar voyages, including all members of a joint legislative committee on transportation 鈥� seven Democrats and five Republicans.
鈥淭he next step is for members of the committee... to pull together all the information they learned on the tour and create a series of consensus recommendations鈥� for the next legislative session in the new year,鈥� wrote Senate President Rob Wagner in a newsletter.
One place to look for a reset of consensus-based governing in Washington, D.C., is the Senate. The chamber flipped. For the first time in two decades, the incoming Republican majority will choose a new leader. Yet its outgoing boss, Mitch McConnell, marked that transition with a nod to the chamber鈥檚 long-standing norm of protecting the minority鈥檚 right to be heard. 鈥淭he filibuster will stand,鈥� he said.聽
In his first comments after the election, President Joe Biden said from the White House Garden Thursday that 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 love your country only when you win. You can鈥檛 love your neighbor only when you agree.鈥� Halfway across the country in South Dakota, that message found an echo. 鈥淎s we move away from campaign season and back toward government,鈥� said Dusty Johnson, a Republican member of Congress, 鈥渓et us never forget that this country was not built on anger and fear, it was built on imagination, courage, optimism and freedom.鈥�
In a national reset, the opportunity for聽reconciliation hangs in the air.
