Former U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin addressed the convention by video, recognizing the importance of competitive independent candidates and the opportunity to shift political power beyond the two-party structure.
Other current and former officeholders shared perspectives on independent movement-building and governance, including Utah County Commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner; former Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey; and former U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, who closed the convention with reflections on what independent candidates and political organizations need to win.
Among other speakers were John Opdycke of Open Primaries; Greg Orman, former independent U.S. Senate candidate and author of A Declaration of Independents; Lindsey Williams Drath, CEO of the Forward Party; Amanda Griffiths, vice chair of the Libertarian National Committee; Manu Meel of Bridge USA; Adam Brandon of the Independent Center; Ryan Rabah of Independents Win; Jennifer Esteban of United Independents and many more.
Ben Droz
A central theme of the convention was defining political independence as more than simply not being affiliated with a major party.
Presentations explored independence as a standard of representation: the ability of public officials to exercise independent judgment and serve constituents without undue influence from party leadership, major donors or special interests.
One framework introduced a second dimension to the conventional left-right political spectrum. While the horizontal X-axis represents ideological differences, a vertical Y-axis measures civic integrity, including transparency, accountability, ethical conduct, and resistance to corruption.
The framework offers a practical basis for cooperation among political leaders who may disagree substantially on policy but share an interest in improving the integrity of public institutions. In this sense, the independent movement can also be understood as a movement for corruption-free government and more accountable representation.
Author and former presidential candidate Marianne Williamson reinforced these themes in her keynote, emphasizing government's responsibility to prevent harm, reduce suffering, improve quality of life and steward the natural world.
One of the convention's central programs showcased the 2026 Independent Slate, which Independents Win PAC assembled after an extensive review of independent federal candidates to identify those that demonstrate both alignment with independent representation and electoral viability.
The seven-candidate slate includes Senate candidates Dan Osborn of Nebraska, Seth Bodnar of Montana, Todd Achilles of Idaho and Brian Bengs of South Dakota, alongside House candidates Kevin Kiley of California, Bill Hill of Alaska and Sarah Zabel of Idaho.
The presentation gave the national independent community a chance to hear from serious congressional campaigns as part of a coordinated slate, not as isolated candidacies. Polling in several of these races indicates meaningful competitiveness.
The candidates also illustrated a larger strategy discussed throughout the convention: developing an Independent Fulcrum Caucus in Congress.
In a closely divided House or Senate, a small group of independent legislators could hold consequential votes, negotiate across party lines and help form issue-specific governing coalitions without being institutionally bound to either major party. The strategy seeks to translate independent electoral victories into meaningful legislative influence.
Supporting the slate through November became an immediate priority emerging from the gathering. Readers can review the candidates and examine available polling at Independents Win.
INC ’26 also introduced initiatives intended to address longer-term weaknesses in independent political infrastructure.
The Better Governance Institute presented its developing Independent & Corruption-Free Certification Program, intended to establish measurable standards for ethical public leadership. The framework addresses conflicts of interest, financial transparency, bribery, personal enrichment, misuse of public resources and other forms of political corruption.
A second initiative, Independent America, is developing a national organizing platform to recruit, equip, and coordinate independent organizers and local chapters. The objective is to create durable organizing capacity that persists between election cycles, rather than requiring campaigns and civic organizations to continually rebuild local infrastructure.
Independent America is preparing a national pilot for individuals interested in establishing local chapters and developing independent organizing capacity in their communities.
Both initiatives reflect an understanding that lasting political competition requires more than successful individual candidacies. It requires standards, leadership development, professional infrastructure and ongoing civic participation.
Beyond the formal presentations, INC ’26 placed considerable emphasis on relationship building among stakeholders. Shared meals, breakout discussions, networking sessions, receptions, and a closing gala gave organizers, funders, candidates, and organizational leaders opportunities to build connections and explore collaboration.
The program also incorporated original artistic performances, including DPAK's movement anthem “Together We Rise,” Naia Kete's “Proud,” Isabella Braveheart's spoken-word performance “Patriot” and Sophia Life's “Power With.” These contributions explored civic identity, patriotism and the cultural dimensions of cooperation across a growing independent movement.
The gathering concluded with commitments to continue supporting independent candidates through November, strengthen cooperation through a United Independent Coalition and advance organizing and institutional development throughout 2027.
After November, the next major electoral milestone will be 2028, when the movement aims to field a stronger generation of competitive candidates, supported by more developed national infrastructure. The fifth Independent National Convention is planned for Washington, D.C., in September 2028.
The significance of INC ’26 will ultimately be measured by the outcomes that follow: electoral results, functioning partnerships, stronger institutions and sustained organizing capacity.
For now, the convention provided a substantive view of an independent political sector increasingly recognizing opportunities to coordinate its otherwise separate efforts. Whether those efforts develop into lasting political influence remains an open question, but the work underway across the movement is becoming more organized and interconnected.
Main-stage presentations and performances from INC ’26 will begin publishing free for public viewing within the next week. Visit IndependentNationalConvention.com to access the recordings as they become available on the INC ‘26 Content page.
Ben Droz
Christopher Life is the founder and CEO of United Independents and founder and executive producer of the Independent National Convention.
One notable example is the Brazilian archipelago of Ilhabela, which has developed an automated, dedicated funding model that could serve as a blueprint for environmentally sensitive destinations in the United States.
(R-L) Ilhabela in the distance, and a ferry leaves from the mainland terminal in the city of São Sebastião and brings passengers and vehicles across the channel directly to the island of Ilhabela.Hugo Balta
Unlike traditional tourist fees that rely on tollbooths or local surcharges, Ilhabela's system uses a frictionless electronic collection framework. At the mainland ferry crossing, municipal authorities use automated license plate recognition (ALPR) technology to track incoming vehicles without interrupting traffic flow.
Through its ECO Ilhabela program, the Prefeitura Municipal de Ilhabela assesses a flat entry fee on visiting vehicles. Rates vary by vehicle type, ranging from R$10 for motorcycles and R$48 for passenger cars to as much as R$140 for large commercial tour buses. To protect residents from additional costs, vehicles registered in Ilhabela and neighboring São Sebastião are automatically exempt. Visitors can pay through electronic transponders, Pix transfers, or the municipality's online portal. According to G1 Globo, pedestrians and cyclists cross for free, encouraging lower-carbon transportation.
The most distinctive feature of the Taxa de Preservação Ambiental (TPA), however, is its dedicated use of revenue. Municipal officials say the proceeds fund environmental protection, conservation initiatives, and tourism-related mitigation efforts, with quarterly reporting requirements intended to ensure public accountability.
Explaining the program's purpose, Mayor Toninho Colucci said the model "represents an important advance to conciliate tourism, sustainability, and quality of life for the population. Ilhabela reaffirms its commitment to be a reference in preservation of the Atlantic Forest, adopting measures that strengthen sustainability without failing to responsibly receive the thousands of visitors who choose our city every year."
According to projections cited by Viagem e Turismo, the fee could generate approximately R$45 million annually. Municipal officials say the revenue funds environmental preservation, urban cleanliness, environmental education, conservation efforts, and related infrastructure improvements, including projects within Ilhabela State Park.
(R-L) The Atlantic Forest, a bromeliad grows on a tree branch, Hugo Balta treks through miles of uninterrupted, lush greenery.
During my visit to the archipelago off São Paulo state's northern coast, I explored its ecological centerpiece: Ilhabela State Park. Covering approximately 85 percent of the municipality and spanning more than 27,025 hectares, the protected area preserves critical Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica) habitat while helping shield traditional Caiçara communities from unchecked development.
As communities across the United States grapple with tourism's environmental impacts, Ilhabela's approach offers a practical example of how visitor-generated revenue can sustain natural resources without adding burdens on residents.
Hawaiʻi has embraced a similar philosophy through a statewide climate resilience initiative. In 2025, the Office of the Governor enacted Act 96 (Senate Bill 1396), creating the nation's first statewide climate-impact "Green Fee."
Rather than charging motorists, Hawaiʻi targets overnight visitors. The law adds a 0.75 percent climate surcharge to the state's Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) and, as Hawaiʻi Public Radio reported, extends the surcharge to commercial cruise ships docking at state ports.
Emphasizing the measure's purpose, Governor Josh Green stated, "Today Hawaiʻi ushers in the first Green Fee in the nation. Once again, Hawaiʻi is at the forefront of protecting our natural resources and recognizing their fundamental role in sustaining Hawaiʻi's ecological, cultural, and economic health. As an island chain, Hawaiʻi cannot wait for the next disaster to hit before taking action. We must build resiliency now, and the Green Fee will provide the necessary financing to ensure resources are available for our future."
The Hawaiʻi Green Fee Advisory Council estimates the program will generate approximately $100 million annually. Like Ilhabela's TPA, those funds would support conservation priorities, including beach restoration, invasive-species control, coral reef protection, and wildfire prevention.
A comparable discussion is underway in California's Lake Tahoe Basin. The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has proposed restructuring recreation fees to help maintain heavily used public-access sites.
Under the proposal, visitors to historically free locations, including Kiva Beach, 64 Acres Riverside, and Echo Trailhead, would pay a mandatory $10 per-vehicle day-use fee. According to CBS News Sacramento, the revenue would "help the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit maintain developed recreation sites, improve overall maintenance and visitor services, and preserve the ecological integrity of the natural environment." Federal regulations require those fees to remain within the local recreation system, funding improvements such as trail maintenance and waste management.
Implementing conservation fees is not without challenges. In Ilhabela, the TPA underwent legal review and experienced collection delays before officials transitioned to a fully digital system. In the United States, legal questions have emerged over the portion of Hawaiʻi's Green Fee that applies to cruise ships. The Georgetown Environmental Law Review reported that cruise industry groups have challenged that provision, arguing it may conflict with constitutional protections governing maritime commerce and port taxation.
Even so, the broader trend is clear. As destinations face growing tourism pressures and rising climate-related costs, policymakers increasingly turn to dedicated visitor fees to protect natural resources while preserving public support for sustainable tourism. Ilhabela, Hawaiʻi, and Lake Tahoe suggest that when collection systems are transparent, revenues are tightly earmarked, and oversight is clear, travelers may be willing to help fund the landscapes they come to enjoy.
Hugo Balta is the executive editor of The Fulcrum and the publisher of the Latino News Network, and an accredited Solutions Journalism and Complicating the Narratives trainer with the Solutions Journalism Network.
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