Introduction: What It Means to Be Independent

Independence means different things to different people. For us, it means more than rejecting party lines; it means thinking for yourself, being accountable to principles and constituents, and resisting the pressures of partisan orthodoxy.

The lawmakers on this list are not defined by loyalty to any figure or party. True independence means being able to both support and oppose leaders based on the issue at hand. Those who always support or always oppose someone are not acting independently. That person or party is controlling them, whether they realize it or not.

This list highlights current federal legislators who have consistently demonstrated independent thinking. These lawmakers defy the political tribalism that dominates our institutions and help create space for more substantive discussions about the challenges and solutions we face today.

We selected these individuals based on:

• Willingness to break from their party when it serves all of their constituents, not just their party base.
   
• Constructive bipartisan or cross-partisan engagement, not just occasional symbolic votes.
   
• Respect for the electorate, avoiding fear-based rhetoric, loyalty pledges, and zero-sum campaigning.

These lawmakers are not necessarily centrists or moderates. What unites them is a demonstrated commitment to reason over reaction, and to principle over partisanship.

The 2025 List

1. Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-3)

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez represents a mostly rural district that values trade work and border enforcement. She broke with Democrats on student debt forgiveness, emphasizing support for vocational education. She criticized the Biden administration’s border policy, telling NPR that rural communities “can’t wait for a perfect immigration policy.” In 2025, she voted for the SAVE Act, one of only four Democrats to do so. She is also co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition, focusing on pragmatism and economic security for the middle class.

2. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY)

Rand Paul continues to uphold a strict libertarian approach to governance. In 2025, he was one of only four Republicans to vote for a Senate resolution to roll back a 25% tariff on Canadian goods, joining all the Democrats. In a speech at Yale, he mocked partisan loyalty, saying he has “bipartisan disdain for a lot of people in both parties.” Paul has long opposed endless wars, warrantless surveillance, and emergency powers. In 2025, he introduced a bill to limit presidential emergency declarations — echoing his consistency under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

3. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY-4)

Thomas Massie has built his identity on being one of the most ideologically rigid members of Congress, often casting the lone “no” vote. In February 2025, Massie was the only House Republican to oppose a Trump-supported budget resolution, citing national debt. His 2020 opposition to the CARES Act, which required recalling the House during the COVID pandemic, led Trump to call for his expulsion from the party. In 2023, Massie told Reason magazine: “I have a history of being the only vote that was a 'no'.” Massie remains fiercely loyal to constitutional limitations on federal power, not to party hierarchy.

4. Representative Jared Golden (D-ME-2)

Jared Golden’s independent voting record is shaped by the political realities of his rural, working-class district. He voted against the American Rescue Plan and the Build Back Better Act, citing concerns over inflation and program sustainability. In 2025, he was the only Democrat in the House to vote for a Republican stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown. He also voted for the SAVE Act. In a 2024 op-ed, Golden wrote: “While I don’t plan to vote for him, Donald Trump is going to win. And I’m OK with that.” It was a rare moment of political honesty -- critical yet not dismissive -- and emblematic of Golden’s brand of civic-minded independence.

5. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)

Susan Collins has long been one of the Senate’s most closely watched swing votes. In 2017, she cast a decisive vote against repealing the Affordable Care Act. In 2024, she supported a Democratic-led bill to protect in vitro fertilization (IVF) services. In 2025, she joined Murkowski in opposing Pete Hegseth’s nomination as Defense Secretary and broke with Republicans to oppose a budget plan that would likely cut Medicare and Medicaid. Collins also voted to repeal Trump-era tariffs on Canadian goods, arguing they will harm Maine’s industries. Her reputation for pragmatism and civility is one of the most enduring in Congress.

6. Representative Don Bacon (R-NE-2)

Don Bacon, a former brigadier general, frequently channels his military discipline into bipartisan policymaking. He’s a leading voice in the Problem Solvers Caucus, and in 2025, he co-sponsored legislation to reassert Congress’s control over tariffs. He warned in a CNBC interview that the president’s trade policies echoed disastrous decisions from the 1930s. Bacon was also the first Republican to call for Secretary Hegseth’s removal over security issues. His voting record includes supporting the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill, despite opposition from the GOP.

7. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA)

John Fetterman’s blue-collar persona and blunt rhetoric have positioned him as a nonconformist in the Democratic Party. In 2025, he cast votes for Trump-nominated officials Pam Bondi and Lee Zeldin for Attorney General and EPA Administrator. He visited Mar-a-Lago after the 2024 election and emphasized bipartisanship in interviews. On the “Somebody’s Gotta Win” podcast, Fetterman condemned Democratic elitism and said, “If you go to an extreme... you’re going to lose the argument, and we have done that.” His approach is less about ideology and more about directness and connecting with voters.

8. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Lisa Murkowski has spent much of her political career challenging party leadership in favor of independent, Alaska-first decision-making. In 2021, she was one of only seven Republicans to vote to convict Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial. Despite intense opposition from her party and Trump in her 2022 reelection campaign, she prevailed thanks to Alaska’s ranked choice voting system — a reform she supported. In 2025, she opposed Pete Hegseth’s nomination for Secretary of Defense, citing his lack of preparation and fitness for the role. Murkowski has also supported environmental protections, reproductive healthcare, and tribal sovereignty, reflecting her commitment to nuanced, constituency-based governance.

9. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA-17)

Ro Khanna blends progressive economic values with an independent reform spirit. In 2023, he said he was open to voting for a Republican Speaker who would prioritize national unity. In 2025, he criticized Senator Schumer’s negotiating tactics during budget talks and called for generational leadership turnover. At the Bitcoin MENA conference, he called Democrats’ tech skepticism “backwards,” arguing Bitcoin is a tool for freedom. Khanna’s independence is principled and future-focused, grounded in transparency and structural reform.

10. Senator Angus King (I-ME)

As one of the few true independents in Congress, Angus King has forged a reputation for pragmatic, bipartisan solutions. In 2025, he supported a GOP-led budget resolution that prevented a government shutdown. Though he caucuses with Democrats, he endorsed Republican Susan Collins in 2014 and has frequently crossed party lines on nominations and national security. A former two-term independent governor, King’s career embodies deliberation, nonpartisanship, and institutional responsibility.

Honorable Mention

• Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) — A former FBI agent and co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, Fitzpatrick maintains one of the most bipartisan voting records in Congress and often acts as a bridge between polarized factions.
• Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) — As former co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, Gottheimer has built a brand around bipartisan coalition-building. Representing a swing district in North Jersey, he frequently negotiates across party lines on infrastructure, energy, and public safety. In 2025, he played a key role in brokering a bipartisan compromise on FAA reauthorization and pushed for reforms to improve border screening technology while maintaining humanitarian protections. Though often aligned with Democratic leadership, Gottheimer has publicly criticized both parties for failing to deliver results on fiscal discipline and law enforcement funding. 

This honorable mention reinforces the broader truth: independent thinking is not a brand — it’s a behavior. And it exists on all sides of the aisle.