{"id":2610492,"date":"2026-06-04T07:30:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T11:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-turn-to-independents-in-red-state-races\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T07:36:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T11:36:28","slug":"democrats-turn-to-independents-in-red-state-races","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-turn-to-independents-in-red-state-races\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats turn to independents in red-state races"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocrats-turn-to-independents-in-red-state-races%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2610492&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Democrats trying to regain ground in heavily Republican states are increasingly using a once-unthinkable approach: backing self-reliant candidates they believe have better odds of winning, while quietly keeping their own nominees at arm\u2019s length. The move is driven by growing concern that the Democratic brand has become a liability in some conservative areas.<\/p>\n<p>The article points to multiple states where this dynamic is emerging. In Nebraska,Democratic officials have leaned toward independent Dan Osborn rather than fully uniting behind their nominee,Cindy Burbank-who has suggested she may eventually step aside to concentrate anti-republican votes. In Montana, independent Seth Bodnar has gained momentum with stronger fundraising than the Democratic field, and in South Dakota and Alaska, some Democrats are also exploring support for specific independent candidates whom they see as more likely to defeat Republican opponents.<\/p>\n<p>While supporters view the strategy as pragmatic-reflecting an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >anti-establishment political climate<\/a> and voter preference for candidates outside party labels-critics inside the party warn it can look dishonest and may not guarantee that independents would caucus with Democrats if elected. The article notes that while moast independents in the Senate today (like Angus King and Bernie Sanders) caucus with democrats, there\u2019s no assurance future independents would do the same.<\/p>\n<p>It also emphasizes that this pattern isn\u2019t entirely new, citing earlier Democratic experiments with independents, such as the 2014 Kansas race involving Greg Orman. the debate highlights Democrats\u2019 struggle to remain competitive in rural, Republican-leaning regions-whether by adapting tactically or risking deeper internal conflicts over the party\u2019s identity and messaging.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democrats\/\">Democrats<\/a> searching for a path back into deeply <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\/\">Republican<\/a> states are increasingly embracing a strategy that would have once been politically unthinkable: quietly sidelining their own nominees in favor of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/independent\/\">independent<\/a> candidates they believe have a better shot at winning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From Nebraska to Alaska to Montana, Democratic operatives and aligned groups are showing growing openness to candidates who avoid the Democratic label altogether, reflecting mounting concern inside the party that the brand itself has become toxic in some conservative states.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4594285\/midterm-countdown-candidate-quality-election\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Party leaders wrestle with another \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-virginia-model\/\" title=\"The Virginia Model\">candidate quality<\/a>\u2019 election<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4594333\/adam-hawamy-new-jersey-omar-abdel-rahman-ties\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Republicans denounce New Jersey Democratic nominee over ties to militant Islamist<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4594024\/texas-election-chief-departs-ahead-midterm-elections\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Texas elections chief steps down ahead of midterm elections<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The trend accelerated this week after primary voters in Montana and South Dakota finalized Senate matchups that feature little-known Democratic nominees alongside more prominent independent candidates who, in some cases, are already drawing greater interest from Democratic donors and strategists.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Nebraska, Democratic officials have effectively aligned themselves with independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn rather than fully consolidating behind their own nominee. Democratic Senate candidate Cindy Burbank <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4591812\/nebraska-senate-sham-campaign-complaints-dan-osborn\/\">has publicly signaled<\/a> she intends to eventually leave the race in an effort to unify anti-Republican voters behind Osborn, who mounted a surprisingly competitive challenge in 2024 against Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A similar dynamic is emerging in Montana, where independent candidate Seth Bodnar, the former president of the University of Montana, has built a stronger fundraising operation than the Democratic field that competed in Tuesday\u2019s primary. Campaign finance reports show Bodnar outraised the combined Democratic field and also surpassed Republican nominee Kurt Alme, who is backed by President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race has also fueled speculation about whether Democrats could eventually consolidate behind an independent candidate rather than their own nominee, mirroring conversations unfolding in other red-state races this cycle. But Democratic Senate candidate Alani Bankhead <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/bradmwarren\/status\/2062196658973429884?s=20\">publicly rejected suggestions<\/a> that she planned to exit the race, writing on Instagram this week: \u201cI will not drop out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In South Dakota, some Democratic operatives have shifted their attention toward independent Brian Bengs, a military veteran and former Democrat, even though the party nominated Julian Beaudion this week. Bengs previously ran against Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) as a Democrat in 2022 and lost by 43 points.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same pattern is beginning to emerge in Alaska, where some Democrats believe independent candidate Bill Hill, a commercial fisherman and retired school superintendent, may represent the party\u2019s best chance to defeat Republican Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK).<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hill raised more than $780,000 during the year\u2019s opening quarter, outperforming Democrat Matt Schultz, a pastor who raised roughly $578,000 over a longer fundraising window. Delegates at the Alaska Democratic convention recently declined to formally endorse Schultz, while Hill attended convention events and has steadily accumulated labor endorsements.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The emerging playbook reflects a growing belief among some Democrats that, in states where Republicans dominate federal races, candidates may fare better running adjacent to the party rather than directly under its banner. But the strategy has exposed deep disagreements inside Democratic circles over whether the party should adapt to its brand problems in red states or work to repair them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s the stupidest thing I\u2019ve ever heard,\u201d Democratic strategist Michael Ceraso said of efforts by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-lawmakers-seek-fbi-investigation-into-terror-tied-bds-charity\/\" title=\"GOP Lawmakers Seek FBI Investigation Into Terror-Tied BDS Charity\">party-aligned groups<\/a> to quietly boost independents while distancing themselves publicly from the Democratic label.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf the human being themselves wants to not be associated with the Democratic Party, and they want to run as an independent, then run as an independent,\u201d Ceraso said. \u201cBut please, to the Democratic Party, stop trying to be cute about it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ceraso argued Democrats are overthinking the problem and focusing too heavily on branding rather than candidate quality and local engagement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJust tell donors you\u2019re going to go into these communities to find the best candidates to run, and then go run them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also warned that Democratic strategists risk appearing dishonest to voters if party organizations quietly support independent candidates while pretending they are fully detached from Democratic infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cStop trying to talk to voters like they\u2019re stupid,\u201d Ceraso said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other Democratic strategists view the trend less as an abandonment of the party and more as a reflection of a broader anti-establishment political climate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese folks seem to all understand that party brands are not popular,\u201d Democratic strategist Jon Reinish said, pointing to states such as Nebraska and Alaska where voters have historically shown more openness to independent-minded candidates.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn times where a uniting factor is broad dissatisfaction with establishments, that also includes party structures,\u201d Reinish said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, Reinish acknowledged the strategy comes with risks for Democrats, particularly because there is no guarantee that independent candidates would caucus with Democrats if elected.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere is no nudge, nudge, wink, wink, or promise that they would even caucus with Democrats,\u201d he said. \u201cIf they win as independents, they\u2019re going to have to approach a career in the House or Senate as just that \u2014 independents.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently, there are two independents serving in the Senate: Sens. Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Both caucus with Democrats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The strategy is not entirely new. Democrats and allied groups experimented with similar efforts in past cycles, including backing independent Greg Orman\u2019s Senate bid against Republican Pat Roberts (R-KS) in Kansas in 2014. Republicans ultimately held the seat, though the race became unexpectedly competitive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats also point to Alaska\u2019s 2014 gubernatorial race, when independent Bill Walker joined forces with Democratic nominee Byron Mallott in a unity ticket aimed at defeating Republican Gov. Sean Parnell. Mallott dropped his own campaign to run as Walker\u2019s lieutenant governor, and the coalition ultimately won the race.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some independent campaigns already rely on Democratic-aligned infrastructure behind the scenes, including ActBlue fundraising tools and consultants commonly tied to Democratic campaigns. National Democratic organizations in Washington have, in some races, refrained from aggressively attacking independents despite Democrats remaining on the ballot.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The broader debate underscores the difficult position Democrats face as they try to claw back relevance across rural America and heavily Republican states after years of electoral decline. Two decades ago, Democrats held a slight edge in Senate representation across many Midwestern and Great Plains states. Today, Republicans dominate the region.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4591812\/nebraska-senate-sham-campaign-complaints-dan-osborn\/\"><strong>CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS ACCUSE NEBRASKA SENATE CANDIDATES OF RUNNING SHAM CAMPAIGNS TO AID DAN OSBORN<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For some Democrats, independent candidates represent a pragmatic attempt to remain competitive in places where the party brand has deteriorated. For others, the strategy amounts to a tacit admission that Democrats have lost confidence in their own label.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat will be very interesting to see,\u201d Reinish said, \u201cis whether Republicans eventually try the same strategy in blue states.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democrats in deep-red states increasingly support independents over their own nominees<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2610493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP24311238339512.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3685,23324,32504,80814,35480],"class_list":["post-2610492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-democrats","tag-independents","tag-political-strategy","tag-red-state-elections","tag-voter-outreach"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP24311238339512.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610492","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2610492"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610492\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2610497,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610492\/revisions\/2610497"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2610493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2610492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2610492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2610492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}