The Independent Center, a nonprofit focused on independent voters, is using artificial intelligence to identify congressional districts where independent candidates might compete in the 2026 elections. The group aims to elect a small number of independents to the House of Representatives as a way to challenge the dominance of the two major parties.
The Independent Center is seeking to use artificial intelligence to carve out space for independents in Congress, according to an interview-based report from NPR. The nonprofit, which focuses on independent voters, says it is developing and deploying AI tools to help challenge the current two-party hold on the U.S. House of Representatives.
"Without AI, what we're trying to do would be impossible," said Adam Brandon, a senior adviser at the organization, in comments reported by NPR. The group’s internal goal, as described in that report, is to recruit and support around 10 independent candidates by spring 2026. It hopes to target districts where it believes independents would have a realistic chance of winning a meaningful share of the races, potentially influencing which party controls the House.
NPR reports that no independent has won a U.S. House seat in several decades, underscoring the difficulty of the effort, though the precise number of years varies depending on how candidates are classified. The organization’s strategy is grounded in data showing a long-term rise in Americans identifying as politically independent. Gallup has reported that in recent years a substantial share of Americans — more than four in ten in some 2024 polling — describe themselves as independent rather than aligning with either major party. Exit polls in recent national elections have also found that roughly one-third of voters identify as independent, up from about one-quarter in 2020.
"There's a huge chunk of people who for different reasons can't stomach either of the two parties," David Barker, a government professor at American University, told NPR, describing the political space the group is trying to tap. Brandon compared the group’s approach to the way Uber disrupted the taxi industry, arguing that voters are accustomed to thinking only in terms of "Republican" and "Democrat" and that the organization wants to demonstrate that "there's something else."
The team’s political and polling experience, as outlined in the NPR report, includes Brandon, who previously led the conservative advocacy group FreedomWorks, and pollster Brett Loyd of The Bullfinch Group, whose firm has worked for Republican candidates, including Donald Trump’s campaign. Loyd told NPR that his AI-driven analysis has identified dozens of potentially competitive districts with sizable blocs of moderate voters, lower turnout, or younger populations such as Gen Z and millennials. He said those younger voters are expected to make up a significant share of the electorate in the next presidential contest.
According to NPR’s account, the Independent Center’s AI tools draw on real-time sentiment from online platforms, including Reddit, and help the organization scout potential candidates through professional networking sites like LinkedIn, looking at factors such as work and volunteer histories.
Skeptics have long argued that independent candidates risk acting as spoilers in closely contested races by drawing votes away from major-party nominees. Loyd rejected that criticism in his remarks to NPR, calling it "a partisan, archaic line" and asking, "What's wrong with spoiling something people don't like?" Brandon similarly embraced the idea, telling NPR that the group sees itself as spoiling what he described as a flawed system.
NPR also reports that the organizers hope that, if even a few independents can win House seats, it might embolden some current members of Congress who privately express dissatisfaction with their parties. Brandon recounted that one Republican lawmaker told him they were not yet ready to leave the party but would consider making the jump if independents demonstrate they can win.
