Win or lose, independent candidates want to meet voters in the middle

Nearly 200 independent candidates in more than 100 congressional races are trying to prove there's an alternative to the two party system — even though the chance of winning is very low.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3023x2015+0+0/resize/3023x2015!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3c%2F5f%2F75a32efa4bb8be632be0487daafd%2Fap26156615747783.jpg' alt='Alaska U.S. House candidate Bill Hill, an independent, poses in a park in downtown Juneau, Alaska, on June 4, 2026.'/><p>Nearly 200 independent candidates in more than 100 congressional races are trying to prove there's an alternative to the two party system — even though the chance of winning is very low. </p><p>(Image credit: Becky Bohrer)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5994388' />