The waning power of political parties in nominating presidential candidates

For decades, the political parties played a major role in ensuring a preferred, unifying candidate made it to the top of the ticket in presidential elections.

For Democrats, Jimmy Carter was a non-establishment political outsider who successfully captured the nomination decades ago. For Republicans, it was Donald Trump, who upended almost everything about our political system four years ago.

Now Democrats seem poised to do the same. Bernie Sanders, who isn’t even an official Democrat in the Senate, is leading the race, according to new polls.