Andrew Yang Podcast Independents on the Ballot
Oct 5, 2026
Todd Achilles, Brian Bangs, Lauren Pinkston, Seth Bodnar, and Dan Osborne are veterans, educators, entrepreneurs, and working-class leaders running as independents. They discuss Idaho’s political middle, struggling rural towns, Tennessee’s childcare and healthcare crises, Montana’s leadership and public lands, and Nebraska’s paycheck populism. Together, they make the case for grassroots campaigns and representation beyond party labels.
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Why Brian Bangs Stayed Independent
- Brian Bangs registered as an independent at 18 and briefly became a Democrat only to challenge an uncontested Senate race.
- His military experience reinforced independence because active-duty personnel must avoid visible partisan behavior.
Rural Voters Respond To Attention Not Labels
- National parties often abandon rural states because they assume partisan labels determine elections, leaving local economic grievances unaddressed.
- Brian Bangs finds small-town voters engage when approached as an independent focused on declining Main Streets and forgotten communities.
Tennessee’s Red Reputation Masks Purple Discontent
- Lauren Pinkston sees Tennessee as politically purple but functionally one-party because a decade-long supermajority suppresses meaningful competition.
- Low turnout reflects voters lacking candidates they want to support rather than simple ideological apathy.