A new private group in Illinois seeks to support and elect 56 independent candidates nationwide in time for the 250th anniversary of the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. It joins a list of organizations seeking to impact the upcoming election cycle by supporting individuals outside conventional partisan politics.
“In 2026, America will celebrate 250 years since 56 courageous individuals risked everything to declare independence,” it states on its official website. “In honor of that 1776 spirit, we are committed to supporting Independent candidates running for seats in the US House of Representatives and the US Senate. Our goal is to help elect 56 Independents to seats in the House and Senate by 2026.”
The group, which calls itself “56by26,” referencing the number of candidates and year in which it aims to complete its mission, is actively seeking to support independent candidates nationwide who align with the group on several fundamental values. In addition, the organization specifies important issues; however, it only lists securing America’s borders as one such key issue at this time.
The values outlined by 56by26 include wisdom, which it defines as the “[k]nowledge and experience sufficient to understand that the best solutions require listening and acting with your head and your heart,” common sense, defined as “[l]eaders who are willing to see and accept the obvious,” and good judgment, defined as the “ability to honestly look at all aspects of a situation and carefully consider the alternaives [sic] and objectively make the right decision.”
The group was formally organized in February of 2023 by Barry Wilson, who ran for Illinois’ 14th Congressional District as a write-in candidate in the 2022 general election. Wilson lost; however, he cites his campaign experiences as an important element of his decision to create an organization prioritizing independent candidates. “During [Wilson’s] campaign, It became clear that the voters were very supportive of the idea of independents being elected however, as in every state, the system is structured to prevent Independents from running, from getting listed on the ballot and from raising the funds necessary to overcome the system,” his biography on the 56by26 site reads.
As stated by the 56by26 site, the organization is actively accepting and vetting requests for endorsements ahead of the 2024 cycle. It should be noted, however, that no such listings have yet to be made available to the public. The organization is also selling merchandise and states all proceeds earned will benefit the independent candidates it ultimately chooses to endorse.
According to Wilson’s official LinkedIn profile, 56by26 is organized as a limited liability company.
No further info on who’s funding this?