"Many senators have developed a canny sense of what will play best for the audience."
What does this quote mean?

"Many senators have developed a canny sense of what will play best for the audience." simply means that, Senators have perfected the plans of telling or doing the things that interest their audience rather than the things that should actually have been done.

For example, if the audience wants more power for the women, the Senators will pass such law without actually evaluating if such  law is necessary for the country at that moment in the first place.

Explanation: