Shawn Griffiths
Paul Rieckhoff wears many hats. He is a veteran of the Iraq War, founded Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, is a national security analyst, author, producer, podcaster, and founder of Independent Veterans of America.
He also wants independent voters to have access to critical taxpayer-funded primaries, supports election models that don't force voters or candidates to "pick a side," and encourages independent veterans to run for office.
Rieckhoff made the case for all of this on the Late-Night Show with Stephen Colbert.
"Forty-five percent of Americans are independent, only 27% are Democrats and Republicans," he noted. Colbert added that the military also spans the political spectrum and isn't the strictly conservative organization many people believe.
"They're not a monolith, but they are a reflection of the best of America, and they want to continue to serve," Rieckhoff said. "But they don't want to pick a side."
"You're in the military. You are putting country over party. People over politics. Then you get out and they [say] you got to choose a side. What if we could create a way for them to run without having to pick a side?"
He believes people are seeing an opportunity right now and says veteran candidates "are the hope that this country needs."
Rieckhoff and Open Primaries President John Opdycke noted in a recent op-ed on IVN that the growth of independent voters is changing the narrative about who these voters are.
"A growing number of leaders who are engaged in organizing and researching independent voters look at the statistics and see potential," they write. "This new narrative allows for the possibility that the small act of distancing oneself from the parties is indicative of something brewing."
They also observe that "when it comes to how we conduct primary elections [...] a majority of Americans across party lines now support the right of non-party voters to participate in publicly funded primary elections."
There are nonpartisan election models in place in a few states that do not force voters or candidates to pick a side to have equal participation, whether it is the Top Two system in California or the Top Four model in Alaska.
Independent voters can pick any candidate they want in these primary systems, regardless of party or lack thereof. They aren't divided between two private political corporations nor denied the ability to have their voice heard.