Brian Bengs

Happy Birthday South Dakota! For 137 years, this state has been a beacon of opportunity. The West, where folks could homestead, make a living, start a family, and do everything that comes to mind when you say “The American Dream.” The American Dream isn’t dead yet. It needs a lot of help, but that’s why I’m running...

Doesn’t it feel like we’re at a turning point in history? As I tour South Dakota in these final days before Election Day, it sure feels like to me. South Dakota’s decision on Tuesday will be a big part of that turn, and whether it’s for the better or for the worse. Something that’s come to my mind on the long hours...

Happy Halloween! I’m about to head to some events and festivities in Rapid City, but before I hit the road again, I wanted to share some new polling that just came out. I am two points ahead of Mike Rounds, 43 percent to 41. Mike Rounds remains unfavorable. Only 41 percent said they had a favorable opinion of him,...

I ask South Dakotans two questions when I first meet them. First, is Congress working as it was intended in the Constitution, for the benefit of you and fellow South Dakotans? Second, do you think our elected officials are truly working for us, or those wealthy billionaires and corporate interests that write them...

The U.S. Senate race here in South Dakota has turned out to be very interesting. While I spent months traveling the state to meet with thousands of voters, my opponent sat on his hands in Washington. While I visited every single county and reservation in the whole state, my opponent hardly went anywhere that wasn’t...

As an Air Force ethics advisor, my job was to advise fellow Airmen on how to comply with federal ethics standards to avoid corruption, or even the appearance of impropriety. We made a whole television ad where I explained the rules for our military service members. Fifty dollars is the limit. Any more than fifty...

This is the final full week before the election. We’re coming down to the wire, and I’m working every day to earn as many votes as possible ahead of Election Day. The word of the month has been “cautiously optimistic.” We have a real chance to win here, but it won’t come without perseverance, hard work, and maybe a...

There are a lot of parts of our political system that frustrate me. I’m infuriated that we now let unlimited money into our politics, causing our representatives to serve whatever Big Money billionaire or corporate special interest can write the largest campaign check. I’m flabbergasted that our politicians...

AI is becoming more and more prominent. What was once a cool novelty for tech enthusiasts is now transforming into industry-revolutionizing technology. Before, AI developers and tech billionaires were warning about the displacement of jobs in the workforce, and the potential for dis- and misinformation. Now, they’re...

"It will be such a great day when we don't have party politics at all and we just can elect independent American citizens to our government." In this episode, Ali Katz talks with Brian Bengs, independent candidate for U.S. Senate in South Dakota, Navy veteran, retired Air Force JAG officer and former Wind Cave park...

Collin Duprel, A South Dakota rancher and Independent voter, endorses Brian Bengs for US Senate against Mike Rounds and explains why you can vote Independent even if you're registered Democrat or Republican. In his 2022 Congressional race, Collin won a higher vote percentage than any Libertarian in American history.

In this episode of The Forward Party Podcast, we explore the growing movement toward political independence and the candidates challenging America's traditional two-party system. From California to South Dakota, candidates are questioning whether Democrats and Republicans can fully represent voters. As frustration...

Government corruption is the top issue for a whopping 88 percent of Americans in a recent Fox News poll. As I travel all over South Dakota and speak with voters about my campaign as an Independent running for U.S. Senate, I find that number closer to 100 percent. I have yet to find a single South Dakotan who thinks...

We have two weeks left until Election Day. Every day spent out in the cold weather in January or the sweltering June sun, and the thousands of miles we’ve traveled to meet voters across the state is coming together in these last crucial weeks. We’re going to keep at it until we run through the finish line on...

As I travel the state, more and more South Dakotans are recognizing me from my ads. At the same time, they constantly ask if I’ve seen all the attack ads against me. It’s pretty hard not to see them, given how much these Epstein-class billionaires and special interests are spending to attack me and prop up my...

This is it. The final fundraising deadline before the election. We’ve come such a long way. When I started this campaign, my wife and I were living in a cramped camper as progress on our home’s construction slowed to a halt. We had no idea whether the moment was right for an Independent, or what this race would look...

Today, Joe Trippi is joined by Brian Bengs, with less than 4 weeks to go until the midterm elections. Brian breaks down the South Dakota race as an independent candidate. What do South Dakota voters see as the biggest issues? Is it easier to run as a Democrat than as an independent in South Dakota?  Learn more...

Yesterday, I had a news conference with my fellow Independent Senate candidates Dan Osborn and Seth Bodnar to answer the question that everybody had asked the entire campaign: “Who will you caucus with?” This whole campaign, that’s one question I see more than most. I hear it talking to voters out in public, I hear...