The Forward Party (shortened Forward or FWD) is a centrist political party in the United States. The party was founded by former Democratic 2020 presidential and 2021 New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang and former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman. It describes its goals as the reduction of partisan polarization and the implementing of electoral reforms. The party looked to achieve ballot access in all 50 states by 2025 and looks to achieve federal recognition by 2028.
Forward was officially formed as a political action committee (PAC) on October 5, 2021. The PAC intended to seek recognition from the Federal Election Commission as a political party to achieve its stated goal of providing an alternative to the two major U.S. political parties. It also stated that, for the time being, candidates affiliated with the organization will remain members of the two major American political parties and third parties, as well as independent candidates. On July 27, 2022, the Forward Party announced that it had merged with the Serve America Movement and the Renew America Movement to further its effort to form a new third party named Forward.
Ideologically, Forward is populist and reformist, and a representative of centrism in the United States. It considers itself to be the center within the American political spectrum, although the party has also been described as big tent or syncretic due to its unwillingness on holding any firm stances or positions, and its rejection of the left–right political spectrum. The party's American-style populism, particularly in its early platform, focused toward independent voters and those dissatisfied with the American two-party system, and advocated a universal basic income within humanistic capitalism. It continues to support electoral and democratic reform (favoring in particular: nonpartisan primaries), independent redistricting commissions, and ranked-choice voting.
History Founding and early history
In his book Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy (2021), Andrew Yang announced the creation of the party. Yang also criticized American political leaders, writing that "our leaders are rewarded based not on solving problems but on accruing resources and retaining office." Yang said that part of the reason why he wanted to start a third party instead of a caucus within the Democratic Party was that a majority of states with ballot initiatives are red states, and that efforts to institute electoral changes would be partisan and not system-wide. Yang stated that he would have liked to have implemented the Forward Party's platform within the Democratic Party; however, he felt that the implementation of ranked-choice voting and open primaries would be difficult to get while remaining a Democrat.
On October 5, 2021, Yang launched the Forward Party as a PAC, with the intention of creating a political party. The Forward Party stated that it would endorse candidates of both major parties in the 2022 midterm elections who support its policies. Yang stated that the Forward Party would not serve a spoiler because it would endorse any Democrats and Republicans who support the party's platform. The Forward Party website suggests that candidates affiliated with the Forward Party would likely run as a member of one of the two major parties. Yang stated that the Forward Party is not interested in running a candidate for U.S. president but is focused on trying to decrease partisan gridlock within Congress and state legislatures. The Forward Party stated it may hold its own primary process to nominate a candidate prior to the 2024 United States presidential election.
In November 2021, Yang discussed the Forward Party with Van Jones about "positive populism, finding common ground, and why Democrats often end up having to defend the status quo". In February 2022, the Forward Party chose Minnesota as the first state to launch an affiliate party. According to Yang, Minnesota was chosen because there are "open primaries, public resources for candidates [and the state has] an independent spirit". The Minnesota affiliate is being headed by John Denney, who ran for the sixth district in the 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota as a member of the Independence Party of Minnesota. Denney attempted to get Richard Painter, who served as the chief White House ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration, to run as a member of the Forward Party in the 2022 Minnesota Attorney General election. Cory Hepola, a radio host, announced he was running as a member of the Forward Party in the 2022 Minnesota gubernatorial election. He later withdrew from the race.
Mergers and official party founding
In July 2022, the Forward Party, Renew America Movement, and Serve America Movement announced that they would be merging in an attempt to form a new third party. The new party, named simply Forward, would be co-chaired by Andrew Yang and former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman. Shortly after launching, former Pennsylvania Democratic U.S. Representative Joe Sestak and former Florida Republican U.S. Representative David Jolly both announced they would be joining the party. They also announced that the party would launch on September 24, 2022, with its first national convention in summer 2023.
The Forward Party's affiliate, the Griebel-Frank for CT Party, appeared in the 2022 Connecticut gubernatorial election. The Griebel-Frank for CT Party endorsed the incumbent governor Ned Lamont. Following the election, the party won 0.23% of the vote, failing to cross the 1% minimum to stay on the ballot for the 2026 governor's race without a petition drive.
On January 27, 2023, Forward and the Common Sense Party of California announced a coalition in California, with the goal of achieving 73,000 registered voters in order to become a qualified political party in the state.
On October 18, 2023, the South Carolina Independence Party announced that the party was merging with the Forward Party, making South Carolina the third state in which Forward is ballot-qualified after Florida and Utah. The Forward Party had no plans to run a candidate for president in 2024 and instead planned on working to elect state and local officials. The party stated they would "do anything we can to make sure that Donald Trump does not get near the White House".
On April 2, 2025, the United Utah Party announced plans to merge with the Forward Party of Utah, and during a joint convention on April 26, members of both parties voted in favor of the merger.
The Independence-Alliance Party of Minnesota and Forward Party of Minnesota merged in conventions on July 26, 2025. The new name is Forward Independence. There was some confusion, as the Independence-Alliance Party of Minnesota was affiliated with the Alliance Party on the national level. State Independence-Alliance Party officials said they would continue a "dual national affiliation" until the 2027 party convention by which time they hope both national branches will merge. In the end, they decided to have a "collaborative relationship" with the Alliance Party and encourage national merger talks.
On November 6, 2025, a partnership was announced with the Arizona Independent Party, which provides ballot access to Independents.
Pledge of the Party The Forward Party focuses on a values-based platform rather than a traditional policy platform, encouraging candidates to propose innovative and data-driven solutions to local challenges. The Forward Party requires all candidates it endorses to sign a candidate pledge. The main points of the pledge states: "Democracy only works when people respect the established rules and the electoral system is set up to elevate the voice of the voter ... Candidates should work collaboratively to craft long-term solutions to their community's most pressing problems ... Public servants should be role models for the community."
Elected officials In May 2023, Jordan Marlowe, the mayor of Newberry, Florida, announced that he was switching his party registration from Libertarian to Forward, becoming the party's first sitting executive. On June 21, 2023, two Democratic members of the Pennsylvania State Senate announced they were joining the Forward Party. Senators Anthony H. Williams and Lisa Boscola announced that, while they were retaining their Democratic Party affiliation and caucus membership, they were also affiliating with the Forward Party and would be labeled as "Forward Democrats" according to the Forward Party.
In August 2023, Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein and Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala announced their affiliation as Forward Republicans. In November 2023, Stonington Town Selectwoman Danielle Chesebrough became a member of the Forward Party, and was reelected on an independent Forward Party ticket. She became the Forward Party's first elected official in Connecticut. In total, the Forward Party considered to have elected Forwardists Danielle Chesebrough of Connecticut as Stonington First Selectman, James Kole of Maryland as Laurel Councilman, Seth Bluestein of Pennsylvania as Philadelphia City Commissioner, Chris Woodward of Pennsylvania as Lower Heidelberg Twp Auditor, and Steve Zappala of Pennsylvania as Allegheny District Attorney.
In March 2025, Daniel Thatcher left the Republican Party and announced his affiliation with the Forward Party, bringing Forward Party representation to the Utah Senate. In December 2025, Thatcher retired and was replaced by Forward member Emily Buss in a special election that used approval voting.
Ballot access In 2023, the Forward Party gained ballot access in Florida, South Carolina, and Utah. Five candidates ran for various offices throughout Utah in the 2024 United States elections. In June 2023, Christine Todd Whitman, one of the party's founding-co-chairs, said that the party's goal was to achieve ballot access in all 50 states by 2025. In early 2024, the party added Colorado and Virginia, where it qualifies to have its name printed on ballots if its candidates get on the ballot via petition. In Colorado, it qualified as a minor party. In August 2024, Lindsey Williams Drath, the party's CEO, said that Forward hoped to achieve federal recognition by 2028. In January 2026, Forward announced they have the signatures to qualify in New Mexico.
Organization and membership After its merger and official founding in July 2022, the party's positions included founding co-chairs Andrew Yang (2020 Democratic presidential candidate), Christine Todd Whitman (former Republican governor of New Jersey), and Michael S. Willner (businessman), as well as co-CEOs Matt Shinners (from July–September 2022 and then interim CEO from September 2022–February 2023, when he became the chief strategy and operating officer) and Miles Taylor (former Republican who served as Homeland Security official in the Trump administration). David Jolly, another former Republican who had joined the Serve America Movement, was also reported to take a leadership role.
Other individuals in party positions include chief executive officer Lindsey Williams Drath (former Republican National Convention member), chairperson Kerry Healey (former Republican and Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts under Mitt Romney), national organizing director Will Conway (former Republican), and advisory board members like Joe Sestak (former Democratic U.S. Representative). Mindy Finn became vice president of advancement in 2026.