Hi John,
At No Labels, we’ve always believed in the power of innovation—of thinking differently and daring to try new things. And we've found that, oftentimes, the most intriguing ideas come from unexpected places.
This week, we want to shine a light on one such idea from a little-known Senate candidate in Nebraska: Dan Osborn. He’s an Independent running in a deep red state against a well-liked incumbent, and he’s making a bold promise: if he wins, he won’t caucus with either party. He’ll caucus by himself as an Independent.
That’s an idea that could really shake things up. Right now, the Senate has four Independents—Senators Manchin, Sinema, King, and Sanders—but all of them caucus with the Democrats. Dan would be a lone wolf, someone who could use his vote to push both parties towards the center. In a closely divided Senate, that could give him real leverage and bipartisan influence.
Now, just to be clear—Dan doesn’t align with No Labels on every issue. For instance, he’s advocated for ending the filibuster, a position we believe is deeply misguided. (For more on why, check out our friend Roger Hutson’s op-ed this week in the Denver Post). My point about Dan is that he’s willing to think outside the box, and No Labels loves to see it.
We believe in the approach taken by the best private sector entrepreneurs: Fail fast and try again. That’s the American way. Our country is known for its ingenuity in every domain except one: politics and government. Yet that is where we need innovation the most, especially with a mounting list of issues like debt, immigration, AI, global crises, and more that Congress needs to solve ASAP.
The best solutions to problems like those always come from the middle, which is why we’re big believers that, until regular order is restored in Congress, we need more independent-minded leaders who can break free from the party machinery and work on solutions together. Every fresh idea that advances that mission—whether it succeeds or fails—is a chip away at the walls of partisanship.
We love the spirit behind Dan’s idea. Win or lose, he’s pushing the conversation in a meaningful way. And get this—some polls even show him leading. It’s evidence that voters are hungry for new voices willing to do things differently.
So, what do you think? Would Dan’s idea to caucus as an Independent work? I’d love to hear from you.
