We are in a strange and disturbing place as a country. People have varying degrees of enthusiasm for Joe Biden, which is fine and natural. Other people are fed up with “the two-party duopoly,” as it’s often put, and that’s fine too. But anyone who has studied the question—as the No Labels leaders surely have—knows that running long-shot presidential candidates is not the way one changes that. One changes that by changing the way we elect the House of Representatives (go look up “Duverger’s Law”).

I’d be all for that. It would be (a) interesting, (b) more democratic, and (c) probably good for reducing polarization. Until that day comes, we have only two parties and only two candidates who have a realistic shot at winning the presidency. People who actually understand how our system works get this. The choice next year will likely be between a candidate who will defend and preserve democracy and a candidate who will seek from his first hour in office to strangle it. I would think that choice would be clear. If Trump wins and follows through on what he says he will do, history will have a harsh verdict to render on all those who thought 2024, of all years, was the year to take his threats lightly.

-Michael Tomasky in the New Republic