Why I Choose Candidates, Not Political Parties

I refuse to pledge allegiance to any party. Instead, I vote for the candidates who speak to my needs — and it’s time more Americans did the same.

If you watch any election coverage in America, from the presidency to local school board races, you’ll notice one thing over and over again: party. Republican. Democrat. Libertarian. Green. Independent. Each candidate, every issue, and nearly all commentary revolves around where someone falls on the political spectrum, and to whom their loyalty belongs.

But here’s the thing: I don’t have party loyalty. I never have, and I never will.

In an era of extreme polarization, where both major political parties have weaponized identity and division to serve their agendas, I’ve made a conscious choice: I will not be pigeonholed. I will not pledge my vote to a party, nor will I let a label define my political beliefs. Instead, I choose candidates based on one thing — who speaks to my needs, my values, and the future I want to see.

The notion of voting along party lines is a relic of a bygone era. Today, voters need to be more discerning, independent, and courageous in making political choices that serve their interests, rather than blindly following a party’s dictates. This is my manifesto for personal political autonomy — a guide to breaking free from the partisan gridlock that’s tearing our country apart.

The American political system is often presented as a binary choice left or right, liberal, or conservative, Democrat or Republican. But this binary is not only misleading, it’s fundamentally broken. The two-party system paints a simplistic picture of political reality, forcing voters to fit into one of two ideological camps, even though most people’s beliefs are far more complex and nuanced.

The truth is, neither party has a monopoly on good ideas, nor do they always have the best interests of all their constituents in mind. Both the Democratic and Republican parties are deeply entrenched in special interests, beholden to corporate donors, and riddled with ideological inconsistencies. Whether it’s Wall Street influence on Democratic leaders or the Republican Party’s ties to corporate lobbyists, both parties are driven more by their own survival and dominance than by the needs of everyday Americans.

Party loyalty, in this system, becomes more about allegiance to a tribe than about serving the public good. It forces voters into a false dichotomy, as though we must choose between two incomplete visions for America. But why should we? Most of us don’t fit neatly into the rigid molds prescribed by the parties, and many of us have more in common with each other than these political organizations would have us believe.

Blind loyalty to a party breeds complacency and corruption. When voters are expected to support candidates simply because they carry the party banner, we lose the ability to hold those candidates accountable for their actions. Politicians know that as long as they play to their base, their seat is safe. This is how bad leaders stay in power, how corruption festers, and how parties grow stagnant, without meaningful competition or reform.

When voters follow the party line no matter what, they give up their power. They hand over their decision-making to party bosses, campaign strategists, and wealthy donors, allowing them to dictate the terms of political debate. And when that happens, politicians no longer have to answer to the people, they only have to answer to the party.

Party platforms are often presented as the definitive list of a party’s values and policy positions, a blueprint for the future of the country. But let’s be real platforms are mostly marketing tools. They’re vague, broad statements designed to appeal to as many voters as possible without committing to anything too controversial. They don’t reflect the real divisions within the party, or the compromises candidates will inevitably make once in office.

Even more, party platforms change over time. The Democratic and Republican parties of today are not the same as they were 50, 20, or even 10 years ago. Issues that were once central to a party’s platform can be abandoned when it becomes politically expedient to do so. For example, many Democrats who once championed labor unions now favor corporate-friendly policies that betray working-class voters. Similarly, Republicans who once railed against deficit spending have presided over ballooning national debt when it suits their political goals.

The result is that voters who cling to party loyalty are often left chasing an ever-moving target, supporting candidates who don’t represent their core values. By breaking free from the party platform, voters can make informed decisions based on individual candidates, policies, and real-world outcomes, rather than hollow promises.

When I go to the voting booth, I don’t care if there’s a (D), (R), or any other letter next to a candidate’s name. I care about who that person is, what they’ve done, and what they plan to do if elected. My needs as a voter are unique to me, and no party platform, no matter how carefully crafted, can capture the full complexity of those needs.

For me, choosing a candidate is about alignment with specific policies that matter to my life. Does this candidate support healthcare reform that will make it easier and cheaper for me to access the care I need? Do they have a clear plan for creating economic opportunities in my community? How do they plan to address the climate crisis, an existential threat that affects us all? These are the questions I ask myself, and the answers are what guide my vote — not blind loyalty to a party’s talking points.

One of the most overlooked aspects of political engagement is the importance of local elections. While national politics tends to dominate the news cycle, it’s local officials — mayors, city council members, school board representatives — who often have the most direct impact on us as individuals. So, while the presidential election is getting all of the airtime remember to do your research on the local candidates that really have influence in your community.