Democratic strategists are apparently considering trying to run independents in Senate seats in places like Alaska, Iowa and Nebraska.

This is a colossally bad idea.

Let me start with this: Democrats are right to look to the Midwest/Plains as a place where they need to find a way to be competitive in the Senate in 2026 — and beyond.

But while their diagnosis of the Democratic brand problems in the middle of the country is correct, their solution on how to fix it is wildly off base.

Why? Because the long-term (or even mid-term) solution to the fact that “Democrat” is a dirty word in the Midwest and Plains isn’t to abandon the word (and the brand) entirely!

Like, what does it say about the current state of the Democratic party (and its brand) that there is a serious effort led by party strategists to run candidates who are expressly NOT Democrats as a way to be competitive in places where the party isn’t at the moment?!?!?