In Nebraska's Senate race, Republican Pete Ricketts is betting voters will see independent Dan Osborn as a Democrat, while Osborn argues he answers to neither party. The outcome could reshape how independents run for office nationwide.
A record 125 candidates won primary elections with less than 50% of the vote, with 21 House nominees now poised to win in safe districts. That means roughly a fifth of the incoming House freshman class will have been chosen by a small fraction of voters.
Mid-cycle redistricting in nine states was meant to guarantee election outcomes, but with 3 weeks until the 2026 midterms, the strategy may backfire. In 8 congressional districts, new maps face unexpected obstacles where independent voters could decide the outcome.
Independent voters are now "kingmakers" in competitive races, but campaigns treat them as data points, not people. Without direct conversation, candidates miss opportunities to engage the largest voting bloc.
Candidates who make it on the ballot don't always make it onto debate stages. Debate rules designed by media outlets, commissions, and civic organizations are locking out independent candidates while major party nominees sometimes skip debates altogether.
Polls are important tools to understand where a race stands, and where the electorate is moving. As with all tools, though, it’s important to understand how to use them.
Independent voters, locked out of primaries in most states, are now the most sought-after voting bloc as candidates distance themselves from party leaders to appeal to the general election electorate.
Massachusetts voters could eliminate party primaries and replace them with an open primary allowing all voters to choose any candidate on a single ballot. Here's what Question 3 would actually change.
More than 24 million voters will cast ballots in new congressional districts they didn't move to, as nine states redrew maps in 2025 ahead of the 2026 midterms. The shift raises questions about whether elected officials represent constituents or if voters are being picked by mapmakers for partisan a
Republicans charge the Independents with being secret Democrats. The Democrats' lead on the generic ballot has swung six points in four months. Do the polls show people are buying that argument?
