“An unusual coalition wants to recruit outgoing Rep. Thomas Massie as the Libertarian Party’s 2028 presidential nominee, betting that MAGA fractures can turn a third-party candidacy into a spoiler for the Republican nominee,” Axios reports.

“The fight for control of the U.S. Senate has expanded to an unexpected place: the deeply conservative farm state of Nebraska, thanks to the rising appeal of an independent candidate who says he wants nothing to do with either party,” Bloomberg reports.

“The Plains state is one of several GOP strongholds in the region, including neighboring Iowa and Kansas, where polls show Republican candidates in surprisingly tight races, as President Donald Trump’s approval rating slides in places he won easily just two years ago.”

“With razor thin party margins, any race could be the one that decides who dictates the agenda in the Senate.”

“The nonprofit that helped get Cornel West on presidential ballots in 2024 received all of its funding that year through a conservative political network that has been bankrolled by Elon Musk,” Sludge reports.

NPR: “Osborn is one of four independents running for Senate in states President Trump won handily, including Idaho, South Dakota and Montana. Buoyed by the president’s sinking approval ratings and public frustration over affordability, independent candidates argue they bring a winning case to voters.”

“It is an argument that some Democrats hope will resonate with voters as the party looks to retake control of Congress, betting that these candidates can help topple Republicans in parts of the country where their own brand is hurting.”

Dan Pfeiffer: “Over the years, third-party candidates have been devastating to Democrats and America. In 2000, George W. Bush wouldn’t have become president without Green Party candidate Ralph Nader siphoning votes from Al Gore. Then in 2016, Jill Stein, also of the Green Party, helped put Trump in office. In Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, the three states that decided the election, Stein’s vote total exceeded Trump’s margin of victory.”

“Republicans have tried to re-run this play ever since. In 2020, Republican operatives quietly helped Kanye West get on the ballot (yes, that happened).”

“This year, third-party candidates could play a major role in delivering the Senate to Democrats.”

“Dan Osborn, an independent who has vowed not to caucus with Republicans or Democrats if elected to serve as Nebraska’s next senator, will hit the campaign trail Saturday with progressive Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna,” CBS News reports.

“Khanna is the first elected official to campaign with Osborn, who is trying to unseat incumbent Sen. Pete Ricketts, a former Nebraska governor. There are no Democrats in the state’s congressional delegation, making it the most heavily Republican state where the California congressman has campaigned for any 2026 candidate.”

“A GOP-aligned super PAC has more than tripled its investment in the Ohio Senate race over the last week as it seeks to boost a socialist candidate — an apparent attempt to sink former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown’s chances,” Politico reports.

Columbus Dispatch: “As statewide contests for governor and U.S. Senate appear close, Libertarian and independent candidates could shake up these closely watched campaigns.”

“Third-party candidates have made a big splash in recent races, helping U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, win reelection in a close race in 2024.”

Washington Post: “In Pennsylvania, Michigan and Virginia battleground races, independents and Green candidates have popped up as left-wing alternatives to Democrats, even though their social media and voter registration history show them as supporters of President Donald Trump.”