Independent Leadership Council

Independent Leadership Council
AbbreviationILC
FormationJuly 24, 2026 (2026-07-24)
FoundersJoe Manchin
Heather Manchin
Adam Brandon
Seth Cohen
WebsiteOfficial website

The Independent Leadership Council (ILC) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that recruits and supports independent congressional candidates. The ILC was founded in 2026 by former U.S. senator Joe Manchin, his daughter Heather Manchin, former FreedomWorks president Adam Brandon, and former Forbes chief impact officer Seth Cohen.

History

The Independent Leadership Council (ILC) was founded on July 24, 2026, by former U.S. senator Joe Manchin, who left the Democratic Party in 2024; his daughter, businesswoman Heather Manchin; former FreedomWorks president Adam Brandon; and former Forbes chief impact officer Seth Cohen. The group was described by The New York Times as a "nonpartisan nonprofit ... that aims to cultivate and financially back declared independent candidates for Congress."

The ILC's inaugural summit in West Virginia was attended by U.S. representative Kevin Kiley, who left the Republican Party earlier that year, and Montana Senate candidate Seth Bodnar. Candidates attending the summit signed a "Declaration of Independents" (an allusion to the Declaration of Independence), pledging not to caucus with either major party if elected. The ILC's candidate commitments also include pledges to oppose gerrymandering and support term limits.

On August 28, 2026, the ILC announced they had raised over $10 million since their launch the previous month. On September 16, the ILC endorsed Bodnar and Kiley in their respective races. The ILC's hybrid PAC, Independent PAC, spent $1.8 million supporting Bodnar's Senate campaign in August 2026.

References

  1. 1 2 "Manchin launches effort to elect independent candidates to Congress". The Hill. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Arshad, Shibra (July 24, 2026). "Ex-Dem Joe Manchin is back, here's what his new independent leadership council is all about". MEAWW News. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Inside Joe Manchin's new quest to elect more Independents to Congress". NPR. July 27, 2026. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  4. ↑ Hulse, Carl (August 26, 2026). "Joe Manchin Pushes for More Independents to Join Congress". The New York Times. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Manchin launches council to elect independents". Semafor. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  6. ↑ Lee, Chantelle (July 24, 2026). "What Is Joe Manchin's New Independent Leadership Council?". Time. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  7. ↑ Graham, Faithlyn (September 23, 2026). "Manchin backs effort to elect independent candidates to Congress". WV News. Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  8. 1 2 Mason, Melanie; Jones, Blake (September 16, 2026). "Karen Bass' rough summer". POLITICO. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Independent Leadership Council Groups Surpass $10 Million in Funding". The Conway Daily Sun. August 28, 2026. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  10. ↑ Murphy, Clayton (September 18, 2026). "Interest group money rolls in to Montana's congressional races". Montana Public Radio. Retrieved September 22, 2026.
  11. ↑ "INDEPENDENT PAC". Federal Electoral Commission. January 1, 2025. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  12. ↑ Ambarian, Jonathon (September 23, 2026). "More outside groups getting involved in Montana U.S. Senate race". KTVH. Retrieved September 23, 2026.