Texas hemp ban targets delta-8 and other synthetic THC products, creating a major wedge issue in the closely watched Senate race between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton.
The retired Air Force major general says neither party represents her politics—and she’s betting Idaho voters are ready for an independent who puts policy before party.
This decision puts Montana in contrast with Idaho, South Dakota, and Nebraska, where the Democrat dropped out of the race to clear the way for an Independent candidate.
Elon Musk has funneled $1.5 million into efforts to repeal Alaska's Top Four open primary system, which lets all voters participate in primaries regardless of party affiliation.
NYC's Board of Elections rejected 42,000 petitions demanding open primaries, affecting a million independent voters. Meanwhile, independent candidates in South Dakota, Nebraska, Idaho and Montana are positioning themselves as kingmakers in the Senate.
Both the Democratic and Republican national committees are now opposing ranked choice voting, with the DNC set to vote Saturday on banning it in 2028 primaries even in states where voters approved it.
Independent firefighter Mike Thurow is taking on a Republican incumbent in an R+8 Wisconsin district—and early polling suggests voters may be more open to his candidacy than they are to a Democrat.
After a legislative effort to require party registration stalled, the Alabama GOP made closing its primaries an official party priority—even as some Republican lawmakers warn it would shut out too many independent voters.
In this episode of the Independent Voter Podcast, hosts Ethan, Cara, and Shawn dig into the escalating battle between citizen-led direct democracy and entrenched political power.
Political insiders from both parties largely reject the claim that independent voters would sabotage primaries if allowed to participate, and some say open primaries produce stronger candidates.
Cara Brown McCormick
Matt Shinners
Righteous Media
Shawn Griffiths
Jeremy Gruber
Independent Voter Podcast
