Former GOP congressman says Republicans, Democrats could expand majorities by inviting independents

Former Rep. David Jolly, who became an independent after leaving the House, said independent voters could help Republicans and Democrats expand their majorities.

Jolly left the Republican Party to become an independent in 2018 following his tenure in the House, where he served from 2014 to 2017. He said partisan incentives make it difficult for lawmakers to widen their outreach to independents and moderates.

"The incentive for an elected official is to operate within your most partisan environment," he said. "If you do what I did while I was in Congress and step out and compromise or take more moderate positions, you get challenged in the primary and your base doesn’t show up in the general."