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Dunaway Quoted in Bloomberg Article on Political Independents and Partisanship
February 20, 2026
Bloomberg
A record 45% of U.S. adults now identify as political independents, but their departure from the two major parties is paradoxically fueling the very partisanship driving them away. As parties have weakened—losing control over primaries, fundraising and candidate recruitment — more ideologically extreme candidates have flourished.
“They're definitely related,” says Johanna Dunaway, professor of political science and research director of the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship. “Probably the biggest reason - I think it's the loss of strong control over who runs in the primary.”
She adds: “Because the parties are weaker, when candidates run, they don't anymore try to please the party and to stay in good graces with the party, because the party can't give them as much as they used to in terms of helping of helping forward their political careers.”
Read more in the Bloomberg (via the Miami Herald) article, “David M. Drucker: All these new independents are making politics more partisan.”
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Dunaway Quoted in Bloomberg Article on Political Independents and Partisanship
February 20, 2026
Bloomberg
A record 45% of U.S. adults now identify as political independents, but their departure from the two major parties is paradoxically fueling the very partisanship driving them away. As parties have weakened—losing control over primaries, fundraising and candidate recruitment — more ideologically extreme candidates have flourished.
“They're definitely related,” says Johanna Dunaway, professor of political science and research director of the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship. “Probably the biggest reason - I think it's the loss of strong control over who runs in the primary.”
She adds: “Because the parties are weaker, when candidates run, they don't anymore try to please the party and to stay in good graces with the party, because the party can't give them as much as they used to in terms of helping of helping forward their political careers.”
Read more in the Bloomberg (via the Miami Herald) article, “David M. Drucker: All these new independents are making politics more partisan.”
Related News
Media Coverage
May 7, 2026
Media Coverage
May 6, 2026
Research
May 4, 2026
Maxwell School Research
Maxwell faculty and students engage in collaborative, cross-disciplinary research that achieves groundbreaking insights and analysis and provides a superior education for tomorrow’s effective leaders in their fields.
Dunaway Quoted in Bloomberg Article on Political Independents and Partisanship
February 20, 2026
Bloomberg
A record 45% of U.S. adults now identify as political independents, but their departure from the two major parties is paradoxically fueling the very partisanship driving them away. As parties have weakened—losing control over primaries, fundraising and candidate recruitment — more ideologically extreme candidates have flourished.
“They're definitely related,” says Johanna Dunaway, professor of political science and research director of the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship. “Probably the biggest reason - I think it's the loss of strong control over who runs in the primary.”
She adds: “Because the parties are weaker, when candidates run, they don't anymore try to please the party and to stay in good graces with the party, because the party can't give them as much as they used to in terms of helping of helping forward their political careers.”
Read more in the Bloomberg (via the Miami Herald) article, “David M. Drucker: All these new independents are making politics more partisan.”
Related News
Media Coverage
May 7, 2026
Media Coverage
May 6, 2026
Research
May 4, 2026
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Dunaway Quoted in Bloomberg Article on Political Independents and Partisanship
February 20, 2026
Bloomberg
A record 45% of U.S. adults now identify as political independents, but their departure from the two major parties is paradoxically fueling the very partisanship driving them away. As parties have weakened—losing control over primaries, fundraising and candidate recruitment — more ideologically extreme candidates have flourished.
“They're definitely related,” says Johanna Dunaway, professor of political science and research director of the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship. “Probably the biggest reason - I think it's the loss of strong control over who runs in the primary.”
She adds: “Because the parties are weaker, when candidates run, they don't anymore try to please the party and to stay in good graces with the party, because the party can't give them as much as they used to in terms of helping of helping forward their political careers.”
Read more in the Bloomberg (via the Miami Herald) article, “David M. Drucker: All these new independents are making politics more partisan.”
Related News
Media Coverage
May 7, 2026
Media Coverage
May 6, 2026
Research
May 4, 2026
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