Origin Story
What began as a white paper on “The Business of Politics,” has evolved into a sustained effort to understand how the parties have become so powerful, how they use their influence to control elections, and how Americans Together can intervene to fix a broken system.
In 2023, Heather Manchin, daughter of U.S. Senator Joe Manchin and former Fortune 500 pharmaceutical CEO, founded Americans Together with a bold vision: to fight for and represent the Sensible Majority across the political spectrum. Frustrated by the realization that a growing majority of Americans — whether center-left, center-right, or independent — are fed up with politicians who focus on scoring political points instead of solving people’s problems. Heather, recognizing this gap and unmet need, set out to build a home for the politically homeless, who had been abandoned as the major parties moved to the extremes.
”I followed the money and saw it plain as day – a massive canyon in the middle of American politics. No infrastructure. No investment. No voice. Just white space where the majority of Americans actually live.
That’s why I started Americans Together.”
– Heather Manchin
The case for a new Center of gravity in American politics.
Funding and scale is almost 20x greater at the margins of the political spectrum than in the middle, despite the fact that in June 2024, 51% of Americans identified as independents. Independent voter turnout in the 2024 general election topped Democratic voter turnout 34% to 32%. This was the first time in decades that independents’ share of overall turnout has exceeded one of the two major U.S. political parties, an irrefutable proof of concept that the Sensible Majority is the driving force in American politics.
Fast forward to the present, Americans Together has evolved into a budding ecosystem of voter education and political literacy efforts, continuous research projects, and strategic partnerships that will begin to fill the void in the center of American politics.
National Research
We surveyed 435 Congressional Districts (20,000 ppl)
Prior to the elections in late December 2023, Americans Together conducted an expansive survey to uncover the values and issues that matter to what we call the “Sensible Majority” and understand where they fit, or did not fit, in the current US political landscape. A massive void at the center of American politics was immediately discovered.
This research informed subsequent efforts to build a new center of gravity in American politics.
Key takeaways include:
88%
believe everyone deserves an equal opportunity to live a quality life.
89%
say people may disagree, but they should still treat each other respectfully.
86%
say we can find common ground by listening to each other and not dismissing those who disagree with us.
85%
agree that we must be willing to make reasonable compromises to solve America’s problems.
79%
are angry that nothing is getting done about the things that really matter.
77%
believe both parties are more concerned about scoring points than getting things done.
Power to More People
We believe the time has come to push back on partisan extremism, take back our democracy, and get sh*t done!
Learn, engage, and connect through Americanstogether.org.
INTERACTIVE MAPS
Know Your District. Shape its Future.
Explore your district and state from primaries to term limits, competitive races to gerrymandering.
RESPONSIBLE ELECTIONS
We will advocate for electoral reform that creates fairer elections.
Learn more about issues that matter.
A NEW CENTER OF GRAVITY
Mentorship, leadership, and support in the middle
Explore ways to get involved!
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