Dave Bushaw, Independent Candidate for US Congress in IA-02, Sworn in as Board Member of the Independent Candidate Network

Our newsroom runs on more than coffee and craft beer — it runs on you. Support Decorah News' local reporting today. HAWKEYE, Iowa — Dave Bushaw, an independent candidate for U.S. Congress in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, has been sworn in as a board member of the Independent Candidate Network, a national organization that advocates for and supports the election of independent candidates to federal office. "I'm ready to help lead this fight at the national level against a two-party duopoly that simply does not prioritize the needs of everyday working people," Bushaw said. "The two-party system isn't broken; it's working exactly as intended: rigged to benefit and protect the ultra-wealthy and politically connected. We intend to break through that system." According to its website, the Independent Candidate Network aims to support the election of "independent, nonpartisan and unaffiliated candidates from across the country and across a broad range of the political spectrum to the House of Representatives in 2026." The organization says it has identified and recruited independent candidates for Congress in several states, including Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky. Some candidates align with more conservative policies, while others trend progressive. "Candidates from across the political spectrum and across the U.S. have come together and agree that specific issues must be addressed if we want Congress to start working for everyday people," Bushaw said. "Especially today, when cultural flashpoints in the news pull us in every different direction, we need to come together where we do agree if we want to get anything done. "We need to focus our fight on the corrupt two-party system in Washington and their billionaire owners that keep getting them elected," he said. "Their priorities are not the priorities of everyday Americans, and it shows in every decision they make in Congress. We change that by electing people to Congress who live in the real world. Then, we can have a conversation like adults in the room about the rest of these issues where we disagree." Bushaw said independent candidates in Iowa have until June to submit ballot access signatures. He said candidates must collect 1,726 signatures to appear on the November 2026 ballot. Fresh stories, delivered! Sign up for the free DecorahNews.com newsletter and stay informed, inspired, and ahead of the curve.