For the first time in nearly a quarter of a century, I am experiencing a deeply unfamiliar sensation. An election cycle is reaching its peak, but my name is not on the ballot.

As a longtime resident of Maryland, I spent 24 straight years down in the political arena. My name was a fixture on the ballot every single gubernatorial cycle starting in 2002 and one presidential cycle. I ran in grueling federal campaigns and sought local office. Through it all, I never broke that streak always being involved in campaigning. I won some, and I lost some. But being an active candidate meant having a direct stake in our constitutional republic.

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Stepping back this cycle feels undeniably strange. Yet, watching from the sidelines provides a unique kind of clarity. When you aren’t consumed by fundraising and stump speeches, you see the entire forest instead of just the trees. What I see happening across our national landscape is a profound period of institutional instability on Capitol Hill. It demands the attention of every voter, regardless of party affiliation.

The national media loves to fixate on the theatrical battles for the White House. But the true........

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