Presently, there are two Independents in the US Senate–Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Angus King of Maine, who both join the Democratic caucus.
In the upcoming Midterm Congressional Elections of 2026, two strongly Republican states have Independents running who give hope to Democrats that if they were able to be elected, they would clearly join the Democratic caucus, while reserving their independence as Sanders and King have done for many years.
These are Dan Osborn, age 51, in Nebraska, and Seth Bodnar, age 47, in Montana, and if either were to win the Senate seats in their states, it would insure that Democrats would control the Senate majority with their help and support on most issues.
This, along with the many potential Democratic Senate candidates who are in their 30s, 40s, and early 50s, would make the US Senate vastly younger in membership for the near future.
Osborn is a US Navy veteran, industrial mechanic, former labor union leader, who challenged incumbent Republican Senator Deb Fischer in 2024, losing by only 7 points, in a race no one thought would be anywhere near that close.
Osborn is now challenging Senator Pete Ricketts, former Governor, who is finishing out the term of former Senator Ben Sasse, who resigned in 2023. Osborn is running as a “rugged guy”, portrayed in similar terms as Graham Platner, who is running for the Maine Senate seat race as a Democrat against Maine Governor Janet Mills, for the opportunity to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins.
Osborn is running on a populist platform, promoting small businesses, family farmers, and workers, and the Democrats, who have not run candidates in recent times in Nebraska, decided they would support him informally, and not have a Democrat in the race. Early indications show a nip and tuck race in polls, so Osborn just might win as an Independent, and bring relative youth to the Senate.
In Montana, Seth Bodnar, age 47, former President of the University of Montana, is running as an Independent, with no strong Democratic opponent for what will be an open seat, as Republican Senator Steve Daines decided not to run for reelection, and endorsed former US Attorney Kurt Alme minutes before the primary deadline.
Bodnar is a US Military Academy graduate who served in Iraq, and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. He was encouraged to run as an Independent by former Democratic Senator Jon Tester.
So there is a reasonable chance that Bodner could win the Senate race as an Independent, but with leanings toward the Democratic Party agenda, and would likely join the Democratic caucus in the Senate as an Independent.