Politicians often strategize about balancing a ticket demographically (e.g., race, gender, sexuality), but this misses the point. Voters ultimately support candidates with whom they feel a values-based connection. A ticket can overcome perceived demographic liabilities if it projects values that resonate with the majority.

A city's leader should operate like a CEO, optimizing for the entire municipality rather than specific factions. The primary goal should be creating economic prosperity and opportunities for all residents, from ages 18 to 90. This 'creation' mindset is more effective than political campaigns based on taking from one group to give to another.

Political success hinges on a simple formula: ensure voters can afford their lives, feel safe from crime and border issues, and are not alienated by extreme social stances. Mastering these three pillars is the key to creating a broad, winning coalition.

Centrist policies don't have to be boring. By framing sensible, evidence-based ideas as "radical," moderates can capture public imagination and compete with the loud fringes of the political spectrum, making effective governance more appealing and electorally viable.

Mayor David Holt argues the perception of a polarized America is misleading. He believes a 70% moderate majority is silenced by an electoral system, particularly closed primaries, that empowers the extreme 15% on each side to select polarizing candidates.

The perception of a deeply divided society is largely an artifact of a political system built on competition and elections, which forces people into two opposing camps. A system based on deliberation would reveal that most people's views are not so rigidly coherent, and it would encourage finding common ground rather than winning at all costs.

In stark contrast to adversarial US and UK politics, Swiss political debates center on a competition to see which politician can better stake out and represent the consensus middle ground, taking into account the validity of both sides of an issue.

With over 90% of congressional districts being non-competitive, the primary election is often the only one that matters. Buttigieg argues this incentivizes candidates to appeal only to their party's extreme flank, with no need to build broader consensus for a general election.

The conventional wisdom that moderate candidates are more electable is a myth. Elections are won by turnout, not by appealing to the median voter. A polarizing figure who excites their base will often win by a larger margin than a moderate who fails to generate enthusiasm.