The Year of the Independent

Much print and many articles have focused on the "Get out the Vote" (GOTV) apparatus of the two parties. In a normal midterm election that would be a critical component for both parties.

However, I don't think this is a "normal" midterm election. Not with the war in Iraq, a foreign policy issue, playing the biggest role in this election. Normally, congressional elections are based upon economic well-being, not foreign policy. That makes this a very different election from other midterms.

All politics is local? That is still true, even with a "national issue" like Iraq dominating the election. How can it be both? Because when a local serviceman or woman dies in Iraq, and is returned home for burial, Iraq is a very local issue.

When an election like this is nationalized and a mandate about a President's foreign policy, GOTV is important. Trumping GOTV, though, in this type of race, is a voting bloc which has been ignored in the partisanship of the last decade.

That bloc is the Independent voters. A high election turnout for a midterm in the 40 percent range will not be a GOTV result. It will be the return of the Independent voter who has sat out the midterm and local elections in the past decade.

It will be refreshing to see them back, participating in the most important function we have as citizens, voting. It will also be refreshing, because, if the Democrats win at least the House both parties will get the nonpartisan messages that:

1. a dramatic course correction is needed for Iraq; and
2. voters want the parties to start governing by consensus and not by partisanship.