The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has ignited a debate about whether there is room for a political center.

Fewer and fewer people seem to identify as moderate today than even a decade ago, and politicians are rarely aiming their messages to such voters.

Twenty-four years ago, as the country reeled from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the electorate seemed to prefer leadership over party and someone who could bridge the divide and produce results.

In the days following 9/11, even Democrats rallied behind then-President George W. Bush and then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has in recent years become the butt of Democratic jokes.

Now, political observers acknowledge, it is the voices on the left and the right who receive the most attention, drive news cycles, and get the most clicks on social media.

“We are in an environment that forces you to take a side,” said Democratic strategist Basil Smikle, who served as the executive director of the New York State Democratic Party.

“There’s a hunger for moderation but I think structurally it has become really difficult to do that in our country for a number of reasons.”

When Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, struck a grounded, politically mild message that called for civility and unity on the heels of the shocking killing of Kirk, he was hailed by some observers.

But Cox was also immediately slammed by conservatives and progressives alike for delivering a message that was off-putting to both sides.

© The Hill