INDEPENDENTS: THE FUTURE OF POLITICS

Democratic power broker Rahm Emanuel has a new Wall Street Journal op-ed this week, and he doesn’t mince words about where the real political action is: independent voters, who are increasingly fed up with both parties.

Emanuel argues that many independents who supported Trump did so reluctantly — a transactional choice, not an ideological one. Now, as the consequences of that decision become clearer, he sees a massive bloc of voters who feel misled, uneasy, and politically homeless. They are, he says, the key to the Democratic Party’s future — if Democrats don’t blow it.

He’s equally blunt about his own party. Independents, Emanuel warns, won’t be swayed by culture-war signaling, internal purity tests, or anti-Trump rhetoric for its own sake. What they want is competence: economic security, practical problem-solving, and basic governing credibility. His message is unmistakable — and scolding. If Democrats miss this opening by talking past independents and pandering to their base, they’ll have no one to blame but themselves when they keep losing elections. As he declares:

It’s a notable statement from a longtime party insider.

But as OP President John Opdycke maintains in his latest column on Substack, Emanuel has a dilemma.  The Democratic Party is not simply inattentive to independents.  In many places and in different ways, they are hostile to independent voters. As he notes:

One thing is certain: independents can no longer be ignored.

OPEN PRIMARIES DEBATE HEATS UP IN PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania’s surge in independent voters-now roughly 1.4 million voters strong-has reignited a fierce debate over voting rights as these voters remain barred from the state’s closed primaries. 

Attempts to open the primaries have stalled in the legislature for a decade despite passing in both the House and Senate in separate sessions, even as support for reform gains momentum and a landmark lawsuit challenges the status quo under the Pennsylvania Constitution’s “free and equal” elections clause. 

David Thornburgh, chair of the advocacy group Ballot PA Action, has been a leading voice in the fight. He frames the exclusion of independents in stark terms:

Meanwhile, independent Pennsylvanians are continuing to organize and speak out. OP National Organizer Bree Doldron joined local PA independent activist Sophie Gelling this week to talk to students on the campus of Drexel University about the state’s closed primaries. As Gallup found in its recent polling-a majority of young voters are declaring their independence from the parties. But there’s a lot of work to do to educate and organize these new voters. As Bree found: 

ARIZONA INDEPENDENT PARTY SPARKS LEGAL BATTLE

The Arizona Independent Party-formerly the No Labels Party of Arizona-is facing lawsuits after Secretary of State Adrian Fontes approved its name change. Critics, including the state Democratic and Republican parties and the Clean Elections Commission, argue the move is unlawful and misleading, claiming “Independent” blurs the line between a political party and unaffiliated voters, potentially confusing the ballot. They also assert the Secretary exceeded his authority, effectively making new election rules without proper legislative or administrative procedures. The party and Fontes counter that naming is protected under the First Amendment and state law does not prohibit such a change.

SOS Fontes has been a stalwart supporter of independent voters and open primaries.

The politics are clear. At a moment when voter flight from the two major parties has reached an all time high, political insiders are working overtime to deny it any legitimacy-up to and including the very name independent itself. The stakes are equally high. If the courts strike down the name, the party could lose ballot recognition under the new label, forcing candidates to run as unaffiliated and forced to meet regressive signature requirements. If upheld, the ruling would affirm parties’ freedom to choose their names—even when they overlap with voter classifications—potentially setting a precedent for other states. Across the U.S., nine states already have ballot-qualified parties using “Independent” in their names, showing the potential nationwide impact of how courts interpret party naming and voter clarity.

Opponents must be feeling their arguments are less than iron clad.  Just this week, legislation was introduced-on an emergency basis- to deny Arizona political parties the right to use the name independent. Similar legislation that passed in NY was upheld in court.

MARYLAND BILL GETS HEARING

As we reported last week, State Delegates Lily Qi (D) and Stuart M Schmidt (R) have introduced a bipartisan bill-backed by Open Primaries- to give Maryland’s independent voters the same rights as every other Marylander. 

Now the bill’s first committee hearing has been set for next week. The first time the state’s independent voters have ever had a forum to publicly challenge the state’s closed primary.

Let Us Vote Maryland- a project of Open Primaries- is organizing independents from across the state to show up and be heard.  If you're in Maryland or know someone who is, you can sign up to testify, send a letter to your state representative and volunteer in any number of ways. 

Litigation brought by Open Primaries has been credited with inspiring these new developments. We’ll keep you updated. And keep the pressure on!

ICYMI: We just had our first Primary Buzz Discussion of 2026: Independents are Surging…and Independent Veterans are Spoiling for a Fight

Open Primaries Founder and President John Opdycke hosted the conversation featuring Paul Rieckhoff—America’s leading veterans advocate and Founder and former CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)—who has launched Independent Veterans of America to support Veterans who want to run for elected office as independents. 

Paul is opinionated, patriotic, fiercely independent and is both a regular on CNN and MSNBC and hosts the popular podcast Independent Americans.

We also welcomed two independent veteran candidates running for US Senate. 

Ty Pinkins, a decorated U.S. Army veteran, attorney, and community advocate running as an Independent for United States Senate in 2026 because he believes Mississippi’s working families deserve more than politics as usual.

Todd Achilles served as an Idaho State Representative and minority caucus chair. He teaches innovation, strategy, antimonopoly, and policy analysis at GSPP, and technology policy at Boise State University’s School of Public Service. Todd served in the U.S. Army as a tank commander and then spent his civilian career in the tech, media and telecom sectors, holding executive roles at T-Mobile, Hewlett-Packard, and a few start-ups. 

While the DC ecosphere downplay the rise of independent voters across the country, a new generation of serious, viable independent candidates is working to give voice to the growing number of voters who are out of sorts with the status quo. It’s hard!  American politics is not designed for voters and candidates who don’t fit neatly into the two-party playbook. Independents get called “ spoilers” by journalists, partisans…even reformers!  

But America’s veterans still command much credibility across divides. Can independent veterans help lead the way to something new?

You can watch the entire conversation here. 

Have a great weekend

The Open Primaries Team