A Righteous Initiative · 2026–2029 Strategy · Updated August 2026
The First Warning
“However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” George Washington’s Farewell Address — Saturday, September 17, 1796
He was, and remains, the only U.S. president never to be formally affiliated with a political party.
And his words ring more true now than at any other time in American history.
The Case
America is facing many massive challenges. And our broken, partisan, self-perpetuating two-party system is a core element of the problem.
And independents can help. Maybe more than any other group in America.
More Americans identify as independents than as Democrats or Republicans. They change the course of almost every election, yet they remain the single most under-served constituency in the country.
2026 and 2028 are the defining time for American democracy. And independents.
Independents are the future. That’s part of why they’re also under attack. State by state, partisan legislatures and party machines keep working to close primaries and lock unaffiliated voters out of the elections their taxes pay for.
Goal
The creation of a disruptive, leading, independent political organization and momentum behind a new movement of independents in America.
2023 → Today
When this strategy was first published in 2023, its engine — Independent Veterans of America — was a plan on paper. It isn’t anymore.
2023 — The Blueprint
2026 — Delivered
IVA Advisory Board
The Plan
Operation Independents serves as the lead strategy, coordination, messaging and funding mechanism for an unprecedented effort to defend and improve our beloved American democracy.
Independent Veterans of America is the engine that powers this strategy. IVA identifies and empowers politically independent and unaffiliated Americans to defend and strengthen our democracy. Led by and built around the unique power and potential of veterans, it is growing and deploying a new generation of leaders who will protect the soul of the country we love. The model will then be replicated for other communities within the independent community — young people, Latinos, women — to build out the engine of change that drives this strategy.
Independents are the largest, fastest-growing and most influential group of voters in the United States — a group that includes roughly half of veterans and majorities or near-majorities of young people and voters of color. They’ve never been organized nationally. Until now.
A majority of veterans are clear in their non-partisanship and the issues they care about. Veterans appreciate and will defend our core American values — especially freedom and the basic right of every American to an equal vote. Country over party. And uniquely powerful.
Building on Paul Rieckhoff’s experience creating a highly impactful and similar organization for post-9/11 veterans — recognized with a cover story by TIME Magazine, by Ashoka, and others — this platform will establish the largest and deepest data set of independents ever collected, reform the American election system, enfranchise tens of millions of people, empower a new generation of public-servant leaders, encourage civility and moderation, combat disinformation, and battle extremism.
We are leading a four-year campaign to maximize impact around the 2026 and 2028 elections.
The model is proven.IVA is modeled on the Iraq and Afghanistan Deployment Impact Fund — $350M deployed over 5 years — and draws on the vanguard role of Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America in creating the modern veterans movement, the influence of the League of Women Voters, and the impact of disciplined single-issue advocacy at national scale.
Veterans hold the line.In this time of need, veterans are the forward edge of a new generation and a new movement — the most trusted, most independent leaders in American life.
Then we replicate.This model can also be replicated in countries around the world facing dangerously deep political division and rising extremism.
The Portfolio
Every component of the Operation Independents campaign is organized under one strategy and one portfolio — each with a dedicated four-year investment.
The Arc
A foundational 501(c)(3) investment stood up the core organization — and launched Independent Veterans of America.
Proof of concept. IVA backed its first independent veteran candidates and took the movement into a presidential cycle.
Post-election assessment and adjustment. The data operation, endorsement infrastructure, and state campaigns were built out through 2025.
The largest class of independent veteran candidates in modern history — running for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and state and local office nationwide.
Lock in wins, expand the coalition beyond veterans, and prepare the portfolio for a presidential cycle.
Maximum impact in a presidential year, then institutionalize the infrastructure so the independent movement outlasts any single cycle.
The Investment
This strategy requires a historic investment: $204.36 million across 2026–2029 — roughly $51 million per year, scaling with each cycle. Candidate support and electoral power — The Independent 100 and the Independent Americans PAC — carry the largest share.
Annual totals include all fifteen lines of effort plus foundation operations. Operation Independents working budget, 2026–2029.
Four-year investment by line of effort
A lean central team runs the entire portfolio: strategy, fundraising, communications, digital operations, and events — $4.96M across the four-year campaign.
The Leaders
Founder & Chief Strategist
A respected leader in disruptive movement building, advocacy and media. Founder of Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America, Independent Veterans of America, Independent Americans and Righteous. Paul leads the overall enterprise — and the veterans piece as the core engine — serving as chief strategist, spokesperson and portfolio manager, with individual leaders and organizations executing each of the other lines of effort.
Independent doesn’t mean the middle. It means none of the above.
It’s not a new party. It’s no party.
America is not a party. It’s a mission.