Washington D.C. –
The Forward Party today announced its endorsement of six candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, running across Florida, Idaho and New Hampshire in the November general election. The slate reflects the growing breadth of the Forward Party’s candidate strategy nationwide, as voters in states across the country look for representation that answers to constituents rather than legacy party leadership.
Each of these candidates has committed to the Forward Party’s core principles: respecting the rule of law, working across the aisle, using data to drive practical solutions and treating every constituent with respect and dignity, regardless of party label. If elected, these candidates will be positioned to establish Forward’s Fulcrum Strategy: building a bloc of elected officials across the country willing to act independently of party leadership on consequential votes, and shifting the incentive in Congress from party loyalty toward earning support on the merits of legislation.
“This slate of congressional endorsements demonstrates just how broad the coalition for independent, accountable governance has become. From Florida to New Hampshire, voters are telling us they’re done choosing between two parties that too often put loyalty ahead of results. Each of these candidates has shown a genuine commitment to representing their communities first, and we’re proud to stand behind each of them.”
-Lindsey Drath, CEO, Forward Party
The Forward Party’s endorsed candidates include:
Mike Klein, FL-03 (Independent)
A fifth-generation Floridian and West Point graduate, Klein has built his campaign on a foundation of respect, resilience and responsibility. His primary focus is to eliminate the influence of money in politics. Klein is committed to policy led by the people and not the donor class. Endorsed by Independent Veterans of America and Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Klein believes the real strength of a nation is the wisdom to fight for peace and that war is always a last resort.
More information: https://mikeklein4congress.com/
Michael Sell, FL-04 (Forward Party)
Mike Sell is the Florida Forward Party candidate for Congress in Florida’s 4th District. Drawing on a working-class upbringing, two decades of operational-improvement work and years of community engagement, he is campaigning for real change. His independent mindset comes from his staunch belief in humane governance that addresses affordability, public education, political reform and consumer protections. His campaign is not accepting donations, demonstrating politics does not have to be a for-profit industry.
More information: https://www.mikesell.org/
Deva Simmons, FL-18 (Independent)
With more than two-decades of experience as an educator in Polk County, Deva Simmons has built her candidacy on the community relationships she formed through the Boys & Girls Club, local schools and civic organizations. Her independence is defined by service over affiliation, framing her campaign as an extension of the mentorship and trust she has spent 20 years building — not a partisan project.
More information: https://www.devasimmons.com/
Alexander Cooke, FL-21 (Independent)
A former Mayor of Juno Beach who refused his mayoral salary and all campaign gifts in that office, Cooke built a reputation locally for taking on developers rather than party leadership. His commitment to independence is personal. No corporate PAC money, no party-leadership funding and a promise to answer every voter message himself rather than through a press team.
More information: https://www.alexcookeforcongress.com/
Sarah Zabel, ID-01 (Independent)
A retired U.S. Air Force major general with 31 years of service, Zabel left the Republican Party after watching it shift away from limited-government principles. Her independence is a break from her own political past, reflecting a conviction that neither party is capable of governing as long as its members hold their duty to their party above their duty to their constituents.
More information: https://www.zabelforcongress.com/
Robbie Mahrou, NH-02 (Independent)
Mahrou earned ballot access the hard way, collecting more than 1,600 certified signatures town-by-town, without party infrastructure or paid signature gatherers. His campaign confronts soaring energy costs, disappearing rural healthcare and the challenges facing family farms and food independence. For Mahrou, “Live Free or Die” is practical: nobody is truly free if they can’t afford the basics.
More information: https://www.livefreenh02.com/
This slate of endorsements is part of the Forward Party’s broader cross-partisan candidate strategy, through which the party supports candidates regardless of affiliation whose approach to governing aligns with its principles of representation and service to voters over partisan interests.
All six candidates are running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the November 2026 general election, taking place on November 3, 2026.
More Information
https://forwardparty.com/candidates
