It’s easy for astute political observers to dismiss Musk’s proposed “America Party” as doomed to fail. For decades, political professionals and political scientists alike have scoffed at the notion of a nationally viable third party.

Building a new political party to rival the Democrats and Republicans is enormously difficult and expensive. Small wonder it hasn’t been done.

Would-be independent candidates have been searching for what they say is a sensible center of the electorate for a long time. No one has found it.