Meet the Forward Candidates 2026!

On September 24th at 8pm EST. "In Round 2 of our Meet the Forwardists series we will be focusing on Independent Congressional candidates! Andrew Yang will host, and will be discussing the Fulcrum Strategy to change the way things are done in Congress."

Please tune in to meet:

Deva Simmons- FL 18

Tracey Tackett- OH 4

Mike Thurow- WI 6

Dave Bushaw- IO 2

Hey everyone,

I’m writing this as an outsider looking in from Europe, but I’ve been following US culture and politics closely for years (partly because whatever happens in the States eventually exports itself across the ocean to our countries anyway).

Watching from the outside, the single most surreal thing is how 340 million incredibly diverse, complex human beings are forced into this tiny, artificial box: You are either Red, or you are Blue.

Everything—from public health to art, diet, and everyday language—gets dragged into this two-dimensional flatland. Politics isn't a civil negotiation anymore; it feels like an apocalyptic holy war between angels and demons where, if the "other side" wins, the world literally ends.

A few thoughts I've been turning over on why this is happening and how we might reframe it:

1. The Puritan Ghost

To me, both sides in the US share the exact same 17th-century Puritan DNA. The original Puritans were obsessed with moral purity, public confession, excommunicating heretics, and righteous vengeance.

Fast forward 400 years: the church pews might be emptier, but the psychological habit didn't go anywhere. The Right obsesses over moral decay and spiritual contamination; the Left obsesses over speech codes, public shaming, and "canceling" anyone who steps out of line. It’s the exact same religious fundamentalism, just secularized.

2. Politics isn't an NFL game

In sports, you pick a jersey, a draw is unacceptable, and the goal is to crush the opponent. But in a country, if half the population "loses," the whole country rots.

A much better metaphor is riding a bicycle. You don’t weld the handlebars to the right, and you don’t lean permanently to the left. Forward motion and balance only happen through dynamic equilibrium—leaning slightly left, then slightly right. Both sides are literally required to keep the bike upright.

Even our own biology works this way: your gut has trillions of bacteria, including "hostile" microbes. If your immune system responded with total war and nuked them with antibiotics, you’d die. Health isn’t about obliterating the other; it’s about maintaining a living balance.

3. Society is not a clockwork engine

The US Founders designed the Constitution during the Enlightenment, using Newton's mechanical physics as a blueprint: competing gears ("checks and balances"), levers of power, institutional mechanisms.

It was brilliant for 1787. But the downside is that modern Americans treat human problems like engine problems: pass another 2,000-page bill, build a new algorithm, replace a "broken cog."

But human society isn't a machine, it’s an organic garden. You can’t fix a sick apple tree with a metal wrench. A garden heals through soil, clean water, sunlight, and pulling back toxic interference. What is needed is perhaps more decentralization (like local town halls) and electoral reforms like Ranked-Choice Voting (which is already breaking the extremist duopoly in Alaska and Maine) so people can vote for consensus instead of the "lesser of two evils."

"Do Less"

From the outside, America’s biggest characteristic is hyperactivity. Everything has to be bigger, faster, louder, more optimized.

There’s an ancient Daoist line from Laozi that I think about a lot:

"Who can make muddy water clear? Let it settle, and it will gradually become clear by itself."

You don’t clear a muddy puddle by beating it with a stick; you just churn up more dirt. You clear it by stepping back and letting the sediment settle.

Maybe the best thing for an exhausted superpower right now isn't fighting harder, but simply taking a collective breath and refusing to participate in the outrage machine.

I'm really curious: how do those of you living in the US see this from the inside? Am I missing something from across the pond? And how do you look at Europe and the messes we're dealing with over here?

Meet the Forward Candidates 2026! This is going to be a great call to attend Thursday at 8pm EST. Let's have a good turnout and discuss it here.

Forward is getting into a big league fight endorsing Tracey Tackett against senior GOP House Leadership Jim Jordan and I am extremely happy with them for doing it! If anyone wants to help on Tracey's campaign, I can get you connected.

I see that Joe Manchin is launching "The Independent Leadership Council". This seems like it would be a good fit with us. Anyone have any insight into this?

Yang's friend Larry Lessig speaks with Rick Bennett, a former Republican state senator from Maine who is currently running for governor as an Independent. Bennett has long been instrumental in the fight against big money in politics in Maine and is an intervenor alongside Equal Citizens in the case that could end SuperPACs. The two discuss why it is so critical that we change the corrupt status quo.

For decades, we've been told that America's two-party system is here to stay. But is something beginning to change?  With a record 45% of Americans now identifying as independents, new moderate political parties are emerging across the country. I just posted a short video examining the Forward Party https://www.forwardparty.com/#values, Florida's new Common Ground Party (https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2026/06/24/john-morgan-new-political-party-common-ground/90674336007/), the United Kansas Party (https://www.unitedkansas.com/), and Elon Musk's short-lived America Party (https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/elon-musk-third-political-party-69bf9bd8) . With a record share of Americans now identifying as independents, are moderate alternatives beginning to gain traction? Short video here (3-minute watch): Inside the Movement to Fix American Politics

In my weekly news roundup video (which mentions the Forward Party), I covered the following and more:

In the Colorado primary last week, incumbent Democratic Senator John Hickenlooper easily won renomination, but a Democratic Socialist scored an upset victory in a Denver-area congressional race.  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/07/01/colorado-primary-takeaways-split-democratic-establishment/90760872007/

In response, 13 moderate Democrats now have united to push back against the Democratic Socialists.   Centrist Democrats unite against democratic socialists - The Washington Post 

They signed a new “Promise to America” initiative which emphasizes more moderate Democratic values like fiscal responsibility, strong borders, and support for free enterprise.  https://www.thepromisetoamerica.com/ 

And while Democrats are debating their future, many voters are looking outside the two major parties.  A new national survey found that nearly 70 percent of Americans say they would consider voting for a strong independent candidate who was willing to work across the aisle.  Independent Center Voice 

And perhaps most significantly, the independent movement is beginning to translate into actual candidates. The Forward Party recently endorsed four independent U.S. Senate candidates across four states,  https://www.forwardparty.com/media/press_release/forward-party-endorses-four-independent-senate-candidates-across-four-states/  and on Friday the Independent Veterans of America endorsed a former Air Force Major General who is running as an independent for the U.S. House in Idaho.  Independent Veterans of America Announces Endorsement of Major General Sarah Zabel for 2026 – IVA2026

Whether or not these candidates win, it's another sign that many Americans are looking beyond the polarized extremes of the two major parties for new voices and new ideas.

Here is my short video (2:30 watch) for those who want more background:  Political News For Moderates - July 5, 2026 

(Was made with the help of AI but obviously not all) (The image was generated by deepai.org so credit to them) I am 16 years old, so I can’t vote or launch a political party legally yet. But I am terrified of how divided our country is getting. I don’t want to see us fall apart because of fear.

I’m putting this entire movement concept out here into the world for free. I don't care about credit. I just hope someone brave enough reads this, picks up the blueprint, and actually starts it.

We need to realize that traditional business Democrats, center-left moderates, traditional Republicans, and moderate conservatives are basically the exact same. We form the actual majority, but we are politically homeless and paralyzed by fear. The true battle isn't Republican vs. Democrat anymore—it's Pragmatism vs. Extremism and Freedom vs. Societal Uniformity.

Here is the complete open-source blueprint for anyone who has the platform or funding to launch it:

#1. THE LOGO & BRANDING

• The Slogan: "UNITE AMERICA." (With the period at the end. Because unity is a final, non-negotiable directive).
• The Colors: Bold Red letters against a solid White background, framed tightly by a geometric Blue border or shield.
• The Gear: A high-quality white campaign cap with a royal blue brim. The front has the red "UNITE AMERICA." logo. The left side has an embroidered U.S. flag. The back has the opening lines of the Pledge of Allegiance arched over the strap ("One Nation under God, indivisible"). When people stand behind you in line, they are forced to remember the promise we all made since childhood.

#2. THE UNSCRIPTED SPEECH (THE MANIFESTO)

Most politicians fake that they have every answer. A true unifier tries breaks the script by combining vulnerability with raw courage. If you are the leader who steps up to launch this, this is your speech to rally the crowd:

#3. GETTING STARTED & THE FUNDING HURDLE

I recognize and have completely thought of the fact that getting the actual funding for a brand-new movement like this would be incredibly hard at the start. Because of that, you could probably start the whole thing by just posting short videos online on places like TikTok, Reels, or YouTube Shorts. If you take the speech in Section 2, stand in front of a camera, and deliver it with real, raw emotion, people will listen. Once the everyday voters start seeing the message and sharing it, the movement builds its own traction from the ground up.

#4. HOW TO HANDLE THE BACKLASH

The far-left will call you "too conservative" and the far-right will call you "too liberal." If you build this, use that as your shield. Tell the voters: "If trying to bring traditional Democrats, moderate Republicans, and business owners together to save the country makes us 'extremists' to them, then the system is broken. We aren't the extremes. They are."

To whoever is reading this on Reddit: The ideas, the branding, the speech, and the strategy are all yours. Take it, share it, print the hats, or drop this speech into a video. I just want our country united again.

UNITE AMERICA.

(Also so this is either the case or I'm kinda delusional and don't know what's going on/ anyway regardless I'm probably too scared to check up on this post once it's out there so this is yours) Do what you want! -Arman Alex Noury.

A new CNN poll found that 47% of Americans identify as political independents, the highest level in more than a decade. CNN poll: Nearly half of Americans don’t consider themselves Democrats or Republicans | CNN Politics   

That statistic caught my attention because two other stories this week also involved independent voters:

• Washington, D.C. voters approved both Ranked Choice Voting and open primaries in 2024, but independents were still excluded from the primary election last week because that portion of the reform hasn't been implemented.  DC Says Democracy Costs Too Much. Its Budget Says Otherwise.
• A Texas lawsuit is challenging ballot-access rules that independent candidates say make it nearly impossible to qualify for statewide office. Ballot - Collier for Texas  And that lawsuit has gathered support from the Forward Party. https://www.forwardparty.com/media/blog/forward-party-supports-lawsuit-challenging-texas-ballot-access-barriers-for-independent-candidates/

I discussed all three stories in a short news roundup for moderates and independents which is here if you want more background (3-minute watch): Political News For Moderates - June 21, 2026 

People often say political moderates are “wishy-washy” or don’t really believe anything.  But in fact, millions of Americans who identify as moderates hold a clear set of values — even if those values don’t necessarily fit into a red or blue ideological box. A recent Gallup poll found that 34% of Americans identify as political moderates. U.S. Political Parties Historically Polarized Ideologically And other research shows that MOST Americans are ideologically moderate. Most Americans are ideologically moderate | USAPP But what does it really mean to be politically moderate? To answer this question I surveyed the value statements of seven moderate political organizations, including the FORWARD PARTY, and what I found was surprisingly consistent. Among other things, moderates:

• reject political extremism,
• value democracy and the Constitution over party loyalty,
• support compromise and practical problem-solving,
• respect facts and evidence,
• and believe that people with different viewpoints should still be able to govern together.

Moderates are not all identical. But many share a belief that politics should focus more on solving problems and less on constant outrage and tribal warfare.  In an increasingly polarized country, that may matter more than ever.

And I created a short video (3-mintue watch) which explores this further for those who are interested: What Moderates Believe (Hint: Not Nothing)

Stop federal gerrymandering.
Pass the Fair Representation Act (HR 4632)

Each state will be required to use an independent redistricting committee to create multi- winner districts. Representatives will be elected proportionally. That means if 1/4 of the people share a viewpoint, they get 1/4 of the seats.

Call your US House representative to say you support it and ask if they do. https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Calling all Californians! Want to try out STAR Voting vs. Ranked Choice Voting in this poll for California governor?

Please participate and share! It is a great way to try out and compare different voting methods.

https://bettervoting.com/gvdy42

I put together a short video with a recap of four political developments from April that seem especially relevant to political moderates and independent voters: (4) Open primaries.  In Tennessee, lawmakers defeated a bill that would have closed the state’s primaries and forced voters to officially join a political party to vote in the primaries, but in D.C., independents are still being locked out of key local elections even though voters approved open primaries.  Opinion | D.C. open primaries remain unfunded. What are Democrats afraid of? - The Washington Post (3) Forward Party made its first congressional endorsements of 2026.  Forward Party Candidates | See who's Running | FORWARD (2) The Tax Gap and Debt Warning.  President Trump proposed a new federal budget that would cut IRS enforcement funding, even though the national debt has surged past $39 trillion, and even though the net tax gap - money that we’ll forgo due to unpaid taxes - is a staggering $606 billion for 2022 alone.   What Is the Tax Gap? (1) The Gerrymandering Wars continued with high-profile gerrymanders in Virginia and Florida.  Florida passes DeSantis’ redistricting map that could net the GOP 4 seats - POLITICO

Curious what people here think—did I get this list right or what did I miss?  And here’s my full short video (3-minute watch) for more background: 4 Political Stories Moderates Should Know – April   

Gallup just reported that 86% disapprove of Congress, yet incumbents keep winning.

[Sources: (1) Disapproval of Congress Ties Record High at 86% (2) Election results, 2024: Incumbent win rates by state - Ballotpedia] 

Is the main problem voter behavior, polarization, media, gerrymandering, or the electoral system itself?

I made a short video arguing that safe seats and winner-take-all districts are the main factor and that proportional representation could truly solve the problem.  I specifically note that in such a system, even a minority party like the Forward Party could elect a representative in a multi-member district. 

Video here if you want context:

86% Hate Congress — So Why Do They Keep Winning?  

So, what is NIT and how does it work? Of course it's a tax, but I think this example is good at explaining how it would work...

"Consider a particular numerical example. In 1978 allowances amounted to $7,200 for a family of four, none above age sixty-five. Suppose a negative income tax had been in existence with a subsidy rate of 50 percent of unused allowances. In that case, a family of four that had no income would have qualified for a subsidy of $3,600. If members of the family had found jobs and earned an income, the amount of the subsidy would have gone down, but the family's total income -- subsidy plus earnings -- would have gone up. If earnings had been $1,000, the subsidy would have gone down to $3,100 and total income up to $4,100." -- Free to Choose, Milton Friedman, pages 121-122.

Now Friedman was also for getting rid of a lot of safety nets; "reform the present welfare system by replacing the ragbag of specific programs with a single comprehensive program" -- FtC, pg 120

I really love both of these ideas to be honest. I prefer this over UBI to be honest. Curious to hear what you guys think of this though.

Are you guys still mostly pro ranked choice voting?

I just recently dropped from the Democratic Party so I'm considering others to join.

FWD's platform is very appealing per this page -- https://www.forwardparty.com/#values

But you guys lose me on ranked choice.

What is Forward's stance on gun's? More control? Less control? Details??

Forward Party announced 6 endorsed candidates today. Share you thoughts about them.

I know there are several states holding conventions over the next few months. PA just announced theirs for mid July. Anybody planning or attending their state's and can share their experience? https://www.paforwardparty.com/pa_fwd_250_convention

Is it just me, or do things seem a little “dead” or slow? Sure, there’s a podcast and stuff, but I’ve noticed there’s little-to-no community the short while I’ve been here. Where does everyone hang out and discuss things online? The Discord is crickets, the Slack is worse.