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March Madness, Cinderellas, and the Importance of Timing the Moment

Lura Forcum, March 20.

 Hi friends,   

For you sports fans out there, it’s officially March Madness! From filling out brackets to basketball on the TV 24/7, there’s really no other time like it. As a product of North Carolina in the 90s, I grew up watching NCAA basketball during the school day.  

Every year, March Madness seems to feature a team that makes a deep run in the tournament unexpectedly. And the sports world has a unique name for these under-the-radar teams that shock the world and crash the big dance: Cinderellas.

For these teams, timing is everything. Cinderellas get hot at the right time and ride the wave of momentum to tournament success.

Just like the Cinderellas of March Madness, timing in politics is important too. Especially when it comes to political movements. And when comes to political independents, the timing has never been better:

• US independent turnout topped Democrats in the 2024 election

• 56% of Americans support having more independent and third-party candidates in Congress

• 62% of respondents in the Independent Center’s latest poll want the new administration to emphasize bipartisanship and working across the aisle

In 2024, independent voter identification hit an all-time high, according to Gallup data. And the media is noticing. This is why we’ve had over 1,000 media outlets quote us and our data, in addition to over 30 million social hits on our polling insights.

Another important thing to note about Cinderellas: they initially appear to be underdogs. But when the timing and circumstances are right, weaknesses turn into strengths. Like a scrappy, undersized basketball team outmaneuvering its opponents, these limitations often turn into strengths.

This is exactly the same way that we should think about the independent movement. It’s new and dynamic, so that means that the potential is boundless.  

What’s more, independent voters are the ones who ultimately delivered the last handful of elections. This means that they ultimately hold the power.  

That doesn’t sound like an underdog to me.

In basketball, life, and politics, timing is everything. And independents are getting ready to crash the political ball in the best possible way.

Best,  

Lura

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Podcast Appearances

• Lura Forcum on Conversation Mill podcast hosted by Rebecca Dehl

The Independent Center Quoted

DeseretNews: Wyoming senator Alan Simpson was simply too honest

By: Jay Evensen

“The Independent Center’s President Lura Forcum said in a statement last week, ‘Regardless of whether one agrees with its recommendations, the bipartisan Simpson–Bowles Commission was the last meaningful attempt to set our nation on a sustainable course. The commission unified independents, Republicans, Democrats, and private citizens in seeking practical solutions to America’s debt crisis.’”

This Week in Congress:

• Congress is in recess this week. We’ll be providing updates once they return.

What We’re Reading:

CNN: Democratic Party’s favorability drops to a record low

By: Ariel Edwards-Levy

The Atlantic: The Political Fight of the Century

By: Derek Thompson

The Independent Center is the go-to organization for information, research, and engagement with independent voters, who now make up the majority of the electorate.

We represent those who are fed up with partisan politics and feel politically homeless. We believe the future is not red or blue; it’s fiscally responsible, socially inclusive, and free to choose the best options for ourselves, our families, and our communities.

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