Ethical Individualism and National Politics

In an era where American political discourse is increasingly fractured by identity-based divisions, Russ McAlmond emerges as a distinctive voice advocating for a philosophical antidote: Ethical Individualism (EI). As a Republican candidate challenging incumbent Senator Jeff Merkley in Oregon's 2026 U.S. Senate race, McAlmond weaves this human relational framework—detailed in his 2021 book Ethical Individualism: A Human Relational Philosophy—into the core of his campaign.

EI posits that true equality and respect arise not from group affiliations but from recognizing each person's inherent uniqueness as a "distinct mosaic of experiences," free from stereotypes tied to race, religion, or nationality. This approach stands in deliberate contrast to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which McAlmond critiques as a Democratic-promoted scheme that inadvertently reinforces "group judgmentalism" and tribalism.

By championing EI, McAlmond envisions a national shift toward interpersonal relations grounded in mutual respect, positioning it as a superior model for reducing societal polarization and fostering unity in the United States.

McAlmond's incorporation of EI into his Senate bid is no mere rhetorical flourish; it reflects his lifelong commitment financial leader and human rights advocate. He founded the Center for Human Equality in Grants Pass, Oregon, to combat bias through individualized empathy. His campaign, rooted in conservative values like fiscal responsibility and rural advocacy, extends this philosophy into policy, promising in-person town halls and ethical governance that treats constituents as equals, not demographics.

This essay explores why McAlmond integrates EI into his platform, arguing that it serves as a pragmatic counter to DEI's limitations, offering a blueprint for national human relations that diminishes tribalism and elevates individual dignity.

The Foundations of Ethical Individualism: McAlmond's Philosophical Core

At its essence, Ethical Individualism is a relational ethic that prioritizes the "primacy and reality of individuality over groupism." Developed by McAlmond in response to persistent racism and social fragmentation, EI asserts that every human occupies a "horizontal line of equality," where no one—regardless of background—holds inherent superiority or inferiority.

This is not abstract idealism but a practical guide: interactions must be symbiotic, benefiting both parties through trust built on perceiving others as multifaceted individuals, not reducible to collective labels. McAlmond's theory arose from personal and professional reflections. As a U.S. Marine veteran and financial planner with dual master's degrees (MBA and MSFS), he witnessed how "group judgmentalism"—prejudging individuals based on affiliations—erodes trust in client relationships and communities alike.

In his book, he dismantles the "fallacy of collective guilt," arguing that just as criminal justice holds individuals accountable rather than families or ethnic groups, social justice must reject blanket condemnations. "There is no such thing as collective guilt—only individual guilt," he writes, extending this to politics, where tribal loyalties fuel division.

EI's appeal lies in its universality, drawing from ethics of compassion while embracing secular reason and science. It calls for rejecting favoritism—whether toward "favored" groups in historical narratives or modern quotas—and instead weaving "a tapestry of peace where no group stands above another."

For McAlmond, this philosophy is not isolationist but connective: by honoring each person's unique worth, we dismantle barriers, creating symbiotic bonds that enrich society.

DEI as a Foil: The Perils of Group-Centric Schemes

McAlmond's campaign explicitly positions EI against DEI, which he views as a well-intentioned but flawed Democratic strategy for human relations. Promoted aggressively in politics and government under administrations like Biden's, DEI frameworks emphasize group identities—race, gender, ethnicity—to address inequities, often through quotas, training, and policies that prioritize demographic representation.

While aiming for equity, McAlmond argues, DEI inadvertently perpetuates the very tribalism it seeks to eradicate by reducing people to group proxies, fostering resentment and "demonizing whole groups of people."

Consider the mechanics: DEI often relies on intersectional analyses that categorize individuals into hierarchies of privilege or oppression, encouraging judgments based on shared traits rather than personal merit or actions. McAlmond, through his work with the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism, has seen this play out locally in Oregon, where inflammatory rhetoric—such as anti-LGBTQ comments by officials—harms economic development and tourism by painting entire communities as bigoted.

Nationally, DEI's rollout in federal agencies and corporations has sparked backlash, with critics like McAlmond highlighting how it incentivizes performative allyship over genuine understanding, exacerbating polarization.

In a 2023 essay, he explains that such schemes fail because "we are not groups—we are individuals," and treating us otherwise undermines the symbiotic trust essential for progress. This critique resonates in Oregon's political landscape, a state grappling with urban-rural divides and cultural tensions. As a Republican in a predominantly blue state, McAlmond leverages EI to appeal beyond partisan lines, decrying how DEI-style groupism alienates rural voters who feel stereotyped as "deplorable" or overlooked in policy debates.

By framing DEI as a relational dead end, he elevates EI as a bipartisan corrective—one that Democrats might adopt if they recognize its potential to fulfill equalty's promise without the divisiveness.

Incorporating EI into the Campaign: A Strategy for National Renewal

McAlmond's Senate campaign, launched amid Oregon's 2026 primaries, integrates EI as both ethos and policy driver, transforming foundational philosophy into actionable governance. His platform emphasizes "common-sense leadership" and "representing every Oregonian—not just one party or one region," echoing EI's call for equal respect across divides.

Running against Merkley, a three-term Democrat, McAlmond targets outreach statewide to Independents, Republicans and Democrats. He pledges town halls that embody EI: forums where participants are engaged as unique voices, not demographic checkboxes, fostering dialogue on issues like rural healthcare, public safety, and economic inflation without group-based blame.

McAlmond is offering a positive, inclusive conservatism that counters perceptions of the GOP as tribal or lacking empathy. Substantively, it addresses national ills: rising political violence, media echo chambers, and identity-driven conflicts that have deepened since 2020. McAlmond believes EI can "become a national...way for human beings in the USA to relate to each other," supplanting DEI by promoting policies like ethics training in government that prioritizes individual accountability over collective reparations.

In education and workforce development, for instance, he advocates curricula that teach symbiotic relations, reducing "minority" or "majority" framings that breed resentment. By embedding EI, McAlmond's campaign models its principles: his background of bridging faiths exemplifies rejecting "groupism" for universal dignity, while his financial expertise ensures ethical, non-partisan solutions to the country's budget woes.

This holistic approach not only bolsters his electability in a state where independents and moderates sway outcomes but also plants seeds for broader adoption, much like how DEI permeated institutions under Democratic stewardship.

Toward a Less Tribal America

Russell McAlmond's infusion of Ethical Individualism into his U.S. Senate campaign is a bold reclamation of human relations from the clutches of group judgmentalism. Where DEI, for all its merits in spotlighting inequities, risks entrenching tribal divisions through its collective lens, EI offers liberation: a horizontal equality where every interaction honors the individual, fostering trust and symbiosis on a national scale.

In Oregon's diverse tapestry—from Portland's urban progressives to eastern ranchlands—McAlmond's vision promises reduced polarization, ethical governance, and a conservatism that unites rather than divides.

As the 2026 election unfolds, McAlmond's EI-driven bid challenges America to evolve beyond DEI's paradigm, embracing a philosophy that treats citizens as ends in themselves. If successful, it could herald a relational renaissance, proving that true progress lies not in group anthems but in the quiet dignity of one person seeing another clearly.

In McAlmond's words, through EI, we "weave a humanity where all are cherished, and none stand apart"—a mantra for a more cohesive United States.