Lincoln Party Chair Nathan Gotsch announced the party’s Statement of Principles Wednesday, which every Lincoln Party candidate and party official will be required to sign and uphold.
“The Lincoln Party will be built around principles, not a platform that tells candidates where they have to stand on every issue,” Gotsch said. “That doesn’t mean our candidates won’t have clear positions on issues. Quite the opposite. It will be their job to tell voters where they stand and what policies they want to advance to solve the problems facing their communities.”
The approach is not new. Independent candidates are already running for office across Indiana without a party platform, asking voters to judge them on their character, competence and positions on the issues.
According to a 2025 report from Independent Indiana, 244 independent candidates appeared on ballots in partisan races across the state in 2023 and 2024, with 52% winning their races.
The Lincoln Party will formally be established following the November election if former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard receives at least 2% of the vote for secretary of state.
The party’s Statement of Principles is organized around three commitments: the foundational ideals of American democracy; standards for governing in the public interest; and expectations for serving with integrity and humility.
Candidates and party officials who violate the Statement of Principles will be subject to an accountability process to be established in the party’s governing rules, with consequences based on the nature and severity of the violation.
“The Lincoln Party’s job is simple: find good people, hold them to a clear standard, and let them make their case to voters,” Gotsch said.
The complete Statement of Principles is available at thelincolnparty.org.
Lincoln Party Statement of Principles
“I commit to these principles and to being held accountable to them.”
First, the ideals of American democracy embodied in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and its Bill of Rights:
Equality: Treating every person with dignity and respect, and ensuring that government protects the rights of all people equally.
Liberty: Protecting the fundamental freedoms that allow people to live, speak, worship, associate and participate in public life.
Will of the People: Respecting citizens through free and fair elections that guarantee their right to vote, honoring those elections’ lawful results, and supporting the peaceful transfer of power.
Rule of Law: Upholding the principle that no one is above the law or beneath its protections, and that every person is entitled to due process.
Second, standards for governing in the public interest:
People First: Listening to constituents to understand their concerns and priorities, and keeping them informed about decisions made on their behalf.
Effective Government: Recognizing that government has a responsibility to provide essential services, safeguard the public and perform its duties competently and efficiently.
Freedom to Rise: Supporting free enterprise and competitive markets as essential to liberty, opportunity and the pursuit of the American Dream.
Fiscal Stewardship: Respecting taxpayers by spending their money responsibly and with a clear public purpose.
Problem Solving: Approaching problems by following the evidence and pursuing solutions that deliver measurable results.
Third, a commitment to serving with integrity and humility:
Honesty and Accountability: Telling the truth, conducting public business with transparency and taking responsibility for decisions and their consequences.
Ethical Conduct: Serving in a manner worthy of elected office, with no tolerance for sexual harassment, financial impropriety or other abuses of power or position.
Service over Self: Putting the public good ahead of personal ambition, political loyalty or the interests of the powerful.
Respectful Engagement: Treating those who disagree with respect, engaging with good-faith arguments and refraining from personal attacks.
In committing to these principles, the statement embraces what Lincoln called the “duty to posterity”: to carry forward America’s promise of liberty, equality and democracy for the generations that follow.
About the Lincoln Party
The Lincoln Party is being formed to make it easier for qualified independent candidates to successfully run for office in Indiana. Its purpose is to restore competition to elections and make elected officials more accountable to the people they serve.
The name reflects Abraham Lincoln’s connection to Indiana and his approach to politics. Lincoln spent his formative years in the Hoosier state, arriving at age seven and leaving at 21, during a period that helped shape the character and values he carried into public life.
His political career also transcended party labels. He served as a Whig, helped build the new Republican Party, and in his final race in 1864 sought reelection as president as the nominee of the National Union Party, a coalition of Republicans, Democrats and Unionists who put aside their political differences to preserve the country.