What happens when people from different third-party and independent political traditions decide to work together instead of competing for the same small piece of political territory?
In this solo episode of *Unorthodoxing*, I look ahead to the *2026 Independent National Convention*, taking place September 23–25 in Washington, D.C. I’ll be there as the American Solidarity Party’s candidate for *Governor of Illinois*, meeting independent candidates, organizers, reformers and political leaders from around the country.
I talk about what I hope to accomplish at the convention: building relationships, learning from other campaigns, introducing more people to our Vick-Pierce write-in campaign, and exploring what real cooperation outside the two-party system can look like.
A major part of that story is the growing relationship between the Illinois Solidarity Party and the *Independence Party*. My running mate, *Gary Pierce*, had previously been running for governor on the Independence Party ticket before joining me as our candidate for lieutenant governor. Today, Gary and I are both involved with both political communities in different ways, giving us a firsthand opportunity to test what cross-party collaboration can actually look like.
I also discuss the Independence Party’s recent vote to endorse our write-in campaign, and how helpful its members have been in helping us gain attention and opportunities surrounding the Independent National Convention.
I also talk about why independent politics needs more than individual candidates. It needs relationships, institutions, organizers, media, donors and volunteers that can last beyond a single election.
The timing matters for our campaign. We’ve recently produced our *first campaign ads*, and now we need to get them in front of voters. Producing the message is one challenge; distribution is another.
Check out our campaign, volunteer, and contribute. You can also visit the links below for more information.
Independent National Convention
American Solidarity Party
Illinois Solidarity Party
Independence Party
IN THIS EPISODE
00:00 — Why I’m Heading to the Independent National Convention
02:28 — Politics Beyond the Two-Party Boxes
04:30 — Why Independent Parties Need to Collaborate
06:54 — The Independence Party Endorses Our Campaign
09:19 — What Healthy Multiparty Politics Could Look Like
11:38 — Our First Campaign Ads & Getting the Message Out
13:52 — Can Independent Politics Build Something That Lasts?
14:50 — Following Along From Washington
15:16 — Campaign, Party & Convention Links
