Independent candidates are competing for U.S. House seats across the country this fall, betting that voters dissatisfied with both major parties will give them a chance to represent a political middle that polls suggest is growing. There are 173 independent candidates running for House seats, as 45% of U.S. adults identify as political independents — a record high. Yet only one independent currently serves in the House: California Rep. Kevin Kiley, who left the Republican Party and continues to caucus with Republicans. The candidates’ paths and motivations vary. Some say they have always stood outside the parties; others say their political views stayed put while their former parties moved away from them. Several say a strong showing could matter even if they lose, by signaling to party leaders that voters want alternatives. In Idaho’s western congressional district, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Sarah Zabel describes herself as a former Republican who still holds conservative values. She said she stopped feeling represented by the party during the first Trump administration and decided to run because she believes voters in the heavily Republican state want a choice closer to the center. The district is rated solidly Republican and voted for Donald Trump by 45 percentage points in 2024. Zabel acknowledges the challenge, particularly with a Democratic nominee also in the race. She says she would not caucus with either party if elected, and sees her campaign as a way to challenge the perception that Idaho is uniformly aligned with the MAGA movement. In Denver, physician Shimon Blau entered the race after Democrat Melat Kiros defeated longtime Rep. Diana DeGette in the primary. Blau said he was troubled by Kiros’ past remarks and political views. Kiros drew criticism in June after declining to describe a 2025 fatal firebombing attack on Jewish activists in Boulder as antisemitic. Blau gathered the 1,500 signatures required to qualify as an independent and argues that dissatisfaction with both parties could give him a path in the strongly Democratic district. Florida candidate Seth Haskin, a coffee-shop business manager who campaigns in 18th-century-inspired clothing, is running in a district where Trump won at least 60% of the vote in each of the past two presidential elections. Haskin calls himself a strict constitutionalist and says he believes both parties have become too influenced by industry leaders, political action committees and foreign lobbying. Even a double-digit share of the vote, he said, could get the parties’ attention. In competitive districts, independent candidates make a different case: that voters want practical results rather than a protest against party politics. Iowa businessman Michael Bridgford is challenging Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democratic nominee Christina Bohannan. The race, previously rated a toss-up, is now considered lean Democratic. Bridgford says voters are weary of dysfunction and that independents can offer a steadier center, but he also points to the difficulty of matching the money major parties spend in closely contested races. Alaska commercial fisherman Bill Hill is running in the state’s at-large House race against Republican incumbent Nick Begich, Democrat Eric Hafner and Libertarian Jim McDermott. Hill says Alaskans often hold a mix of views that does not fit neatly into party labels. He trailed Begich by about 12 points in the primary and has received an offer of support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system and history of electing candidates from different parties have helped create opportunities for nontraditional campaigns. Elsewhere, independents face obstacles that include raising money and securing access to debates alongside candidates backed by established parties. The candidates’ prospects differ sharply: Zabel is running in a district rated solid Republican, while Bridgford is in a competitive contest and Blau is seeking support in a strongly Democratic city. Their shared argument is that voters who identify as independent are not necessarily politically disengaged — and that a visible showing could pressure both parties to respond, even where an independent victory remains unlikely.