FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: IndependentCenter@MercuryPublicAffairs.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, as voters in Alabama, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota head to the polls for primary elections, the Independent Center is highlighting a systemic crisis in American governance: the deliberate disenfranchisement of millions of independent voters through closed primary systems.
Despite a record 45% of Americans now identifying as Independent, today’s contests remain restricted to registered partisans, effectively silencing the largest and fastest-growing segment of the electorate. This exclusionary math is particularly glaring in states where viable independent candidates are already reshaping the political map.
"The two-party system is operating on a monopoly that no longer exists," said Brett Loyd, Co-founder of the Independent Center and former RNC polling director. "In states like Iowa and Montana, we see exceptional independent leaders ready to serve, yet the very systems designed to select our representatives are built to ignore the middle and dismiss any third option as a 'spoiler.’ When nearly 90% of the country disapproves of the legislative status quo, the real spoiler is the partisan inertia that prevents pragmatic solutions from reaching the ballot.”
The Rising Independent Movement
In several of today’s primary states, independent candidates are demonstrating that the political center has found a home:
- Montana: Seth Bodnar, a former University of Montana president and veteran, is mounting a formidable campaign for the U.S. Senate, recently reporting over $960,000 in cash on hand.
- Iowa: In the competitive 1st Congressional District, 7th generation Iowan Michael Bridgford is forcing a re-evaluation of how toss-up seats are won, having recently filed his nomination petitions.
- New Mexico: While the state has moved toward a semi-open primary system, over 371,000 New Mexicans - 26.2% of the registered electorate - are only now beginning to feel the weight of their own voices in a previously exclusionary process.
ABOUT THE INDEPENDENT CENTER: The Independent Center is the backbone organization for the American Independent Voter Movement, dedicated to empowering the 45% of Americans who seek an upgrade to the legislative status quo through pragmatic, independent leadership.
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The Independent Center is the go-to organization for information, research, and engagement with independent voters, who now make up the majority of the electorate. We represent those who are fed up with partisan politics and feel politically homeless. We believe the future is not red or blue; it’s fiscally responsible, socially inclusive, and free to choose the best options for ourselves, our families, and our communities.