Anti-party, anti-politician candidates surge in midterms

Axios · 10/18/2026, 11:45:08 AM

In red states and blue, unconventional candidates are downplaying — or even disowning — party labels to tap into voters' deep disdain for Washington. Why it matters: They might not all win, but the sheer number of political outsiders connecting with voters tells us something about the electorate: It's angry and willing to take risks. The candidates — whether they come from the pulpit or the NFL sidelines — are making the same bet: Voters are tired of career politicians. Zoom in: Consider three unorthodox Democrats leading in Senate contests in three red states: a Presbyterian seminarian in Texas (state Rep. James Talarico), a megachurch pastor in Kansas (Adam Hamilton), and an Alaska Native in that state (former Rep. Mary Peltola, who once skipped a week of House votes to go fishing when Chinook salmon were running). Deep-blue Minnesota's Senate race features Michele Tafoya — a former NFL sideline reporter who's endorsed by President Trump but calls herself an independent Republican. She's mounting a serious challenge to Democrat Peggy Flanagan , the lieutenant governor. In House races, on the Democratic side there's a smokejumper in Montana (Sam Forstag), a 29-year-old barista in Colorado (Melat Kiros) and a Tejano singer in Texas (Bobby Pulido). Four independent Senate candidates are courting Democratic voters without running with a (D) next to their names — and sometimes without a Democrat officially in the race. In Nebraska, Dan Osborn, a union steamfitter and former factory mechanic, is mounting a serious independent challenge to Sen. Pete Ricketts, a former two-term governor whose family owns the Chicago Cubs. In Montana, Seth Bodnar , a former Army Green Beret and University of Montana president, is running as an independent for an open Senate seat. Democrats tried to persuade their nominee to drop out, but she stayed in the race. In South Dakota, Brian Bengs, a onetime park ranger, is challenging Republican Sen. Mike Rounds as an independent. Four years ago,