The Reform Party of the United States has released its first round of candidate endorsements for the 2026 election cycle, backing two independent candidates for statewide office along with several others running for local positions in North Carolina and Colorado.
In a statement this week, the party said it was seeking to build on developments from the past five years, during which 11 of its endorsed candidates were reportedly either elected or appointed to various offices across the country. Among the party’s most prominent endorsements are independent candidates Dan Osborn for U.S. Senate in Nebraska and Mike Duggan for governor of Michigan.
Osborn, a labor leader and former independent Senate candidate, is running against incumbent Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts. The Reform Party also backed him during his first bid in 2024. In its endorsement statement, the party said it was impressed with Osborn’s campaign message and his focus on working-class voters.
The party also endorsed Duggan, the sitting mayor of Detroit, who left the Democratic Party in late 2024 to mount a gubernatorial bid as an independent. In backing him, the party praised Duggan’s record as mayor, which it said reflects his leadership skills.
In addition to the two statewide races, the party is backing four candidates seeking local office in nonpartisan contests, several of whom the party has supported in previous election cycles.
These include James Bledsoe, an Army veteran running for city council in Raleigh. According to the party, Bledsoe has also received support from the Veteran Parties of Wake County in his bid. The Reform Party is also backing Jenna Wadsworth in her reelection campaign for the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District Board, also in North Carolina.
Additional endorsements include James Treibert, a Reform Party member running for Adams County assessor in Colorado, and Josh Hendrickson, who the party said is preparing to launch a campaign for a local school board seat. While the party has not yet specified the district, it said it would release additional details.
Further endorsements are expected later in the election cycle, including in New York, where the party said its state affiliate plans to make a statewide endorsement. The affiliate has been active in recent cycles, including last year when it got involved in New York City’s mayoral election.
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