> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://ivn.us/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The Most Dishonest Campaign Ad in 2026? - URL: https://ivn.us/the-most-dishonest-campaign-ad-in-2026-newsletter/ - Published: 2026-09-22T17:48:04.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-22T17:48:04.000Z - Description: Plus: Katherine Gehl on the politics of no competition - Author: IVN Editorial Board - Tags: newsletter The most dishonest campaign ad of 2026 makes a simple promise: vote yes, and you’ll get **exactly the thing the measure is designed to eliminate**. Alaska’s Yes on 2 campaign is running an audio ad promising to “reject dark money” and “bring back the days of open primaries.” **The only problem?** [**Ballot Measure 2 actually repeals Alaska's open primaries AND eliminates its dark money transparency initiative!**](https://ivn.us/the-most-dishonest-campaign-ad-in-2026/) Yes, the same campaign is trying to [sell open primaries, while trying to end them](https://ivn.us/alaskas-repeal-campaign-is-selling-open-primaries-while-trying-to-end-them/). Elsewhere, in Texas, AG Paxton's closed-primary push just hit a wall in court, moving [**the fight over Texans’ right to vote**](https://ivn.us/texas-gops-closed-primary-push-hits-pause-the-next-fight-is-in-austin/) to Austin. Why does every fight include the party in power v. the voters? Katherine Gehl has the answer: MAGA and the DSA are both products of [**the politics of no competition**](https://ivn.us/maga-the-dsa-and-the-politics-of-no-competition/): a political market the two parties have rigged, and voters are stuck buying from. Check out more stories that go outside the two-sided narrative below. ### *FEATURED ▶▶▶* ## The Most Dishonest Campaign Ad in 2026? [![Alaska Ballot Measure 2 campaign ad](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/2026/09/image-5c413482-43f6-406c-bd58-139c99e058d6.jpg)](https://ivn.us/the-most-dishonest-campaign-ad-in-2026/) The Yes on 2 audio ad promises to “reject dark money” and “bring back the days of open primaries.” One problem: **Alaska already has open primaries, and Measure 2 is the thing that would end them**. Shawn Griffiths fact-checks the script, line by line. [READ FULL ARTICLE](https://ivn.us/the-most-dishonest-campaign-ad-in-2026/) ### *POPULAR ON IVN ▶▶▶* [MAGA, the DSA, and the Politics of No Competition ](https://ivn.us/maga-the-dsa-and-the-politics-of-no-competition/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/09/Katherine-Gehl.jpg) Katherine Gehl [ ![MAGA, the DSA, and the Politics of No Competition](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/MAGA-DSA-Trump-Mamdani-1.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/maga-the-dsa-and-the-politics-of-no-competition/) [Democrats Gerrymandered David Valadao’s District. Did It Backfire? ](https://ivn.us/democrats-gerrymandered-david-valadaos-district-it-backfired/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/02/Cara-McCormick-IVN.png) Cara Brown McCormick [ ![Democrats Gerrymandered David Valadao’s District. Did It Backfire?](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/david-valadao.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/democrats-gerrymandered-david-valadaos-district-it-backfired/) [Texas GOP’s Closed-Primary Push Hits Pause. The Next Fight Is in Austin ](https://ivn.us/texas-gops-closed-primary-push-hits-pause-the-next-fight-is-in-austin/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/02/dJY12ln-_400x400.jpg) Shawn Griffiths [ ![Texas GOP’s Closed-Primary Push Hits Pause. The Next Fight Is in Austin](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/image-4c1d59f0-13fb-487a-b272-a0edf1c951ae.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/texas-gops-closed-primary-push-hits-pause-the-next-fight-is-in-austin/) [People vs Politics: The Documentary About Independents Who Won’t Quit on Fairer Elections ](https://ivn.us/people-vs-politics-the-documentary-about-independents-who-wont-quit-on-fairer-elections/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/09/Robert-Pease.jpg) Robert Pease [ ![People vs Politics: The Documentary About Independents Who Won’t Quit on Fairer Elections](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/Lisa-Rice-and-sandwich-board.png) ](https://ivn.us/people-vs-politics-the-documentary-about-independents-who-wont-quit-on-fairer-elections/) [Alaska Voting Rights PAC Makes Bill Hill Its First Independent Endorsement ](https://ivn.us/alaska-voting-rights-pac-makes-bill-hill-its-first-independent-endorsement/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/05/matt-shinners.png) Matt Shinners [ ![Alaska Voting Rights PAC Makes Bill Hill Its First Independent Endorsement](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/bill-hill.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/alaska-voting-rights-pac-makes-bill-hill-its-first-independent-endorsement/) [Alaska’s Repeal Campaign Is Selling Open Primaries While Trying to End Them ](https://ivn.us/alaskas-repeal-campaign-is-selling-open-primaries-while-trying-to-end-them/) By ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w30/2026/06/1517747530842.jpg) Jeremy Gruber [ ![Alaska’s Repeal Campaign Is Selling Open Primaries While Trying to End Them](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/image-a0aa6760-700c-488e-b01e-14ceaadb7170.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/alaskas-repeal-campaign-is-selling-open-primaries-while-trying-to-end-them/) [California’s 22nd District Exposes What Political Insiders Still Don’t Get About Latino Voters ](https://ivn.us/californias-22nd-district-exposes-what-political-strategists-still-dont-get-about-latino-voters/) By Kent Price, Latino News Network [ ![California’s 22nd District Exposes What Political Insiders Still Don’t Get About Latino Voters](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/size/w320/2026/09/california-22-district.jpg) ](https://ivn.us/californias-22nd-district-exposes-what-political-strategists-still-dont-get-about-latino-voters/) ### *LATEST EPISODE ▶▶▶* ## Independent Voter Podcast Former California State Senator Steve Peace joins EP60: California’s top-two primary puts DSA-backed Democrats face-to-face with the party’s moderate wing, **in front of the entire electorate, not just the party faithful**. [WATCH NOW](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QApKYWbMrYg&ref=ivn.us) ### *INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES ▶▶▶* ## Is This Mic On? Dan Osborn Meets the Opposition Research Machine [![Dan Osborn](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/2026/09/dan-osborn-nebraska.png)](https://ivn.us/is-this-mic-on-dan-osborn-meets-the-opposition-research-machine/) Three leaked recordings in two weeks have turned Nebraska’s Senate race into a case study in **the opposition research machine the parties aim at outsiders**. Matt Shinners on Dan Osborn versus the hot mics. [READ FULL ARTICLE](https://ivn.us/is-this-mic-on-dan-osborn-meets-the-opposition-research-machine/) ### *VIRAL ▶▶▶* ## Aaron Rodgers: Neither Party Gives “a F\*\*k About Regular People” [![Aaron Rodgers: Neither Party Gives “a F**k About Regular People”](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/2026/09/Rodgers_Clip.png)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdKaMFrCWhd/?ref=ivn.us) Aaron Rodgers says he doesn’t trust “anybody in politics.” On teammate Cam Heyward’s podcast, the Steelers QB called Democrats and Republicans one “uniparty” running “the same policies.” He has company: **a record 45% of Americans now identify as independent**. [WATCH NOW ON INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdKaMFrCWhd/?ref=ivn.us) ### *CALIFORNIA ▶▶▶* ## Independent Voters Can Be Heard in California. The Top-Two Primary Is Worth Defending [![California Top-Two primary](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/2026/09/california-undo-the-top-two-independent-voters.jpg)](https://ivn.us/independent-voters-can-be-heard-in-california-the-top-two-primary-is-worth-defending/) Lenny Mendonca and Dan Schnur: California voters broke the parties’ grip on primaries in 2010, and the repeal effort raises one fundamental question: **who should get to vote in taxpayer-funded elections?** [READ FULL ARTICLE](https://ivn.us/independent-voters-can-be-heard-in-california-the-top-two-primary-is-worth-defending/) ### *VETERANS ▶▶▶* ## Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff Washington Post Pentagon reporter Dan Lamothe joins Army veteran Paul Rieckhoff to pull back the curtain on **a Pentagon defined by press restrictions, purges, and unexplained leadership shakeups**, plus what the building is (and isn’t) doing about AI. [WATCH NOW](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thIvwFCUKxc&ref=ivn.us) ## NEW: Join the Conversation Now, when you [sign-up for an account on IVN](https://ivn.us/#/portal/signup), you can help frame, change, and inform the discussion. In fact, you can [submit your own news stories](https://ivn.us/publish/), as long as you follow the simple [IVN Etiquette](https://ivn.us/etiquette/). [SIGN UP NOW](https://ivn.us/#/portal/signup) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/dc/be/dcbe1ac4-146f-43be-92a6-ea84728d86a6/content/images/2026/05/omp-320x50-1.gif)](https://openmyprimary.org/?ref=ivn.us)