Independents’ Day: More and more voters aren’t Democrats or Republicans

WASHINGTON — If it’s Monday ... Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., criticizes Sen. Kyrsten Sinema after registering as an independent: “She is a corporate Democrat who has, in fact along with Sen. Manchin, sabotaged enormously important legislation.” ... Sen. Jon Tester on “Meet the Press” has a different take: “I think she has a pretty good track record of getting things done.” ... Democrat Karen Bass assumes office as LA’s new mayo. ... And here’s why liberal Washington can’t quit Twitter.

But first: Kyrsten Sinema isn’t the only one who’s registering as a political independent. 

More Americans identify as an independent than they do a Democrat or Republican, according to Gallup’s historical data. 

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Sen. Sinema’s leaving the Democratic Party ‘doesn’t change a thing’: Sen. Tester

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In addition, in 19 of the 31 states that track voter registration by party, one of the two major parties is in THIRD place in party registration — behind either independent or unaffiliated or minor party. 

Just look at the latest registration statistics in these key states: 

• Arizona: Republican 34.67%, Other 34.67%, Democrat 30.66%
• Nevada: Other 37.70%, Democrat 32.51%, Republican 29.79%
• New Hampshire: Other 38.17%, Democrat 31.49%, Republican 30.34%
• North Carolina: Other 36.26%, Democrat 33.73%, Republican 30.01%

And then there are the results from the November midterms: Democrats overperformed due to independent voters (they won them 49%-47%, per the NBC News exit poll), as well as crossover Republicans (especially in Arizona and Georgia). 

The two major parties remain so important to our politics. 

Their voters select the nominees for the general election; they produce the rules of the road in presidential primaries; and they have so much money at their disposal. 

But when it comes to meeting most voters where they currently are, they’ve become less important.

Map of the day: Where 'Other' is larger than a major party

Data Download: The number of the day is … 16,976

That’s at least how many migrants that Texas and Arizona have bussed to Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia as part of Govs. Greg Abbott and Doug Ducey’s controversial immigration policy.

NBC News’ Gary Grumbach reports that Abbot’s office says it’s sent at least 8,500 migrants to D.C., 4,000 to New York, 1,300 to Chicago and 260 to Philadelphia. And Ducey’s office says it’s sent 80 buses to D.C. carrying 2,916 migrants who are seeking asylum. 

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For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

While Ducey leaves office at the beginning of next year, Abbott’s office tells Grumbach the policy will continue for the foreseeable future. 

Other numbers to know:

259: The number of people killed in the Lockerbie bombing on Dec. 21, 1988. The suspected bombmaker is now finally in U.S. custody, officials revealed over the weekend. 

48 years old: The age of the late Grant Wahl, an influential soccer journalist who died in Qatar Friday while reporting on the World Cup. Testimonials about Wahl’s passion for the game, and the profession, have poured in over the weekend from colleagues, players and friends. 

At least 70%: The share of Michigan voters in a recent EPIC-MRA poll who didn’t want President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump to win the 2024 nomination (71% said no to another Biden nomination and 70% said no to another Trump nomination). 

Two-thirds: How many of the more than 107,000 drug overdose deaths in America in 2021 were because of fentanyl, according to a Washington Post analysis of CDC data as part of the Post’s new investigation into the “strategic blunders and cascading mistakes” that have made the problem worse. 

970: The number of votes each candidate in a New Hampshire state house election received in a race that will have a special election in February to resolve the tie, the New York Times reports.

588,000: How much tar sands oil has spilled from the Keystone Pipeline system after a pipeline failure on Wednesday. The operating company says the spill, it’s largest yet, is now contained. 

Eyes on 2024: Sinema fallout

Democrats both in Washington D.C. and Arizona spent the weekend processing Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s decision to leave the party and register as an independent.

Among progressives (and potential Sinema challengers from the left), the decision was blasted as proof she didn’t care about the party — outgoing Arizona Democratic Party vice-chairman Michael Slugocki said he’s “shockingly disappointed at how awful she continues to be.” And Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders said he doesn’t expect Democrats to stand behind someone “who helped sabotage some of the most important legislation that protects the interests of working families and voting rights.” 

But among those Democrats who don’t want to ostracize her ahead of next Senate term, or who may need to tout their own independence ahead of the 2024 election cycle, the response was far more muted.

The Biden White House’s statement called her a “key partner” that they expect to continue to work with. And on Sunday’s Meet the Press, Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, who is up for re-election in 2024, downplayed her decision by saying: “I was surprised she made the change, but functionally, I don’t think it changes a thing.”

In other 2024 news:

A bright spot out West for Democrats: NBC News’ Natasha Korecki reports that while Republicans have made some inroads with Latino voters over the years, Democrats are performing well with Latinos in states like Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, where they’ve become a durable part of the party’s coalition.  

Tar Heel tension: After another disappointment for Democrats in North Carolina, the state Democratic Party’s executive director is stepping aside (she says the decision was made before the election) and some Democrats are calling for big changes in the hopes of turning the tide in 2024, according to WRAL.

A growing field in Indiana: Four Republicans could be running to succeed Indiana GOP Gov. Eric Holcolmb, who is term-limited, Politico reports. This comes as Indiana GOP Sen. Mike Braun and the state’s GOP Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch are both expected to announce their campaigns for the job today. Fort Wayne businessperson Eric Doden has already announced his campaign, and the state’s Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers is expected to jump into the race as well.

ICYMI: What else is happening in the world

On her flight back to the U.S. following months of Russian detention, WNBA star Brittney Griner opened up, talking about her time in detention with others on the plane.

House Democrats still haven’t named a new chair of their campaign committee, as incoming Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries plans to meet with both representatives vying for the position, Politico reports.

The Washington Post took a deep dive into how Arizona Republican nominee for governor Kari Lake’s campaign unraveled.