With his head hung low, former Florida governor Jeb Bush appeared in front of his supporters on Sunday and finally announced that he would suspend his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination. Bush’s departure narrows the Republican race down to five candidates: Donald Trump, Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Marco Rubio, Ben Carson and Ohio governor John Kasich. Of those candidates, Kasich is really the only “moderate,” and even then only in comparison to his hardline conservative competitors. History has shown that Kasich is not exactly a centrist himself.

The extremism of the remaining candidates is a bad omen for the future of American politics, since voters are now forced to choose from options that do not represent the large majority of them. A similar shift is being reflected on the liberal spectrum, with candidates being increasingly drawn to the left. The increase in polarization on the debate stage is worrying, especially as voters increasingly mirror that polarization.

It is not abnormal to disagree with someone based on their political views to the point of genuine dislike. However, the degree to which individuals have been demonized for their personal politics is concerning.

Any candidate who is able to reach the nation’s highest office by the end of this vitriolic election cycle has some serious work ahead of them. The United States is at a critical juncture — the social fabric of the country is being torn apart in every direction. The traditional wedges of class, race, religion and sex still dominate national conversation, with modern media only serving to magnify the divides. Race, especially, has become a subject that has been enhanced by discussions guided by online interactions.

Added to the mix are the divisions created by gender, sexuality, technology and privilege — the updated versions of these concepts have only recently entered our national lexicon within the last decade. Even age has become a considerable dividing line between voters, as the Internet generation faces off against their elders on how to approach topics like Hillary Clinton’s role as a feminist in the modern era.

These chasms have only grown wider, and the malicious nature of our politics reflects those rifts. Bush’s presidential build was better suited to a past era, not the current cycle of screaming and shouting that has begun to characterize our national discourse.  In some ways, Bush’s campaign was an appeal to constraint. However, that kind of strategy no longer wins votes in an age of increasing disillusionment.

The next president, as the figurehead of the nation, has the opportunity to help redefine the fractured American identity that exists today. But in order to do so, they must represent the extremes of the ideological spectrum as well as the people in between. This can be accomplished by being inclusive, not by driving more wedges into the cracks.

Opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Feb. 22 print edition. Email Emily Fong at [email protected].