Following a decisive 2024 election victory, 2025 was defined by President Donald Trump’s political upheaval. Citing a supposed mandate to tackle America’s cost of living crisis, the commander-in-chief gutted large portions of , deployed the to U.S. cities, and America’s global leadership on issues.
This upheaval leaves numerous questions for the coming year. Will Democrats adopt Democratic Socialism as represented by New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani? Will Republicans break from Trump as the costs he vowed to reduce climb? And how will trends shift in the year ahead?
Politics is inherently unpredictable, yet the 2026 midterms are already underway—with political ad spending poised to hit a new record and pollsters forecasting a Democratic wave. President Trump’s economic approval rating falling to a recent low of certainly doesn’t help Republicans’ cause.
Polling data points to one clear trend: Anti-establishment pragmatism is extremely popular. Per the latest from Outward Intelligence, Americans are eager for candidates who reject the status quo while holding practical, results-focused stances on key issues. This growing worldview is less about ideology and more about effectiveness—voters want assurance that responsible people are making policy decisions.
Bipartisan frustration
Americans are craving a functional system. If perception equals reality, our system is as “broken” as can be. A mere 32% of Americans believe America’s best days lie ahead. Even more concerning, only of U.S. adults feel Congress represents their interests. Meanwhile, 60% of Americans lack confidence that the U.S. system can solve problems.
In an extremely polarized world, frustration has become bipartisan. That’s why roughly of Mamdani’s supporters previously voted for Trump—crossing ideological lines to send the same message about the status quo. According to , most conservatives say Congress doesn’t represent them, while most liberals agree the system fails to deliver on the legislative proposals they want. When both left- and right-leaning Americans concur that the U.S. is unrepresentative, it signals a mandate for disruption—from Trump in 2024 to Mamdani in 2025.
Political pragmatism
But disruption requires purpose. While Americans may be fed up with the status quo, voters don’t want chaos or a disorganized, inconsistent approach—they want real good governance and clear accountability. From one community to the next, our polling shows people still desire certainty and control.
Take immigration, one of the most divisive issues today. Moderates and conservatives are largely aligned on border enforcement: Nearly 80% of conservatives back deporting criminals, and almost half of moderates strongly support the same policy. Even a third of liberals favor deporting criminals. Most Americans—Democrats and Republicans alike—want a common-sense approach.
When asked about deporting individuals with no criminal record (whose only violation is entering the U.S. illegally)—as was the case with ICE arrests this year—support for deportation plummets across all groups. Even among conservatives, just 38% strongly back broader border enforcement measures. Voters want secure borders and enforced laws—but Americans don’t demand mass deportations of working families.
Put simply? Pragmatism over partisanship.
A weary America is demanding: “Just fix it.”
The pragmatic playbook
Successful candidates’ strategy should be to oppose the widely unpopular establishment—but not at the cost of practically addressing our problems. The middle—still the most powerful force in American politics—isn’t seeking the ideological purity that fringes demand on TikTok. The winning formula isn’t left or right.
Astute campaigns will recognize that the fight is between outsiders and insiders—paired with positions that sound firm but reasonable. Especially now, amid economic uncertainty and dwindling affordability, working Americans and other voters want to back those who can push for reform outside the failed structure of establishment politics.
A communist revolution isn’t a priority in either blue or red states—and neither is a surge of voters eager for fascism.
The anti-establishment pragmatist criticizes both parties for their failures, takes tough stands on high-profile issues like border security, and shows flexibility on implementation. This candidate prioritizes results over ideological rhetoric—and they’ll win elections. It might be less exciting than chaos or revolution, but popularity still matters most in electoral politics.
A year into his second term, President Trump’s approval has dropped due to his . In the coming year, Mamdani will be judged on his ability to keep his own .
In 2025, Americans demonstrated they value results over politics. The question now is whether politicians will heed this in the year ahead.
