A quick prediction regarding the midterms: When the results are in, a lot of people are going to be very, very disappointed.

Aside from that, I got nothin’.

Except this. I suspect that disappointment will leave a lot of Americans even less enamored with both parties, and more open to candidates who don’t belong to either one.

According to Gallup’s figures for 2025, 27% of American adults identified as Democrats. Another 27% identified as Republicans. Independents? Forty-five percent.

That’s a lot of people without a team jersey.

Obviously, calling yourself an independent doesn’t mean you agree with everyone else who does. But with numbers like those, why are so few independent candidates elected? And why should someone who wins as an independent have to pick a side once they get to Washington?

How did “We the People” become “We the Party?”

I put those questions to Joe Manchin, who answered with remarkable candor—and explained what he and his daughter, Heather, are doing about it.

They’ve launched the Independent Leadership Council to help independent candidates get the money, support, and visibility they need to compete. The goal is to elect a handful who will remain independent once they arrive. In a closely divided Congress, a handful could matter quite a bit.

I knew I was going to enjoy this conversation. I didn’t realize how much. On the eve of another national election, it seems like a useful time to hear from a guy who knows what happens when you tell your own party “no.”

The whole conversation is here, and worth your time:

https://bit.ly/TWIHI509JoeManchin

The attached clip explains the rat. (You’ll want some context for that.)

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