DeveloperTown co-founder launches independent bid for U.S. Senate

An entrepreneur with ties to Indianapolis' tech community is entering Indiana's contentious U.S. Senate race as an independent.

Nathan Altman, a Carmel native and Purdue University graduate, has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run against Sen. Joe Donnelly and a yet-to-be-determined Republican. 

Altman, 30, is a co-founder of DeveloperTown, a software consulting company in Indianapolis, and since 2015 has managed projects for Burning Man, an annual event in Black Rock City, Nev.

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Altman's candidacy is not yet official, though. To get on the ballot in November, his campaign must gather 26,699 signatures — an uphill climb for someone with no prior political experience. Then, he must convince voters to choose him over major party candidates in a race that is shaping up to be a referendum on President Donald Trump.

"I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't think there was a chance of winning," Altman said.

Altman in an interview spoke of the challenges ahead of him in the vernacular of a startup company rather than a political contest, referring to his campaign as a series of projects. He declined to describe his positions on policy issues, saying, "I want to be the candidate who listens."

"I will have many things that I stand for and I will make those stances clear," Altman said. "They will not be in traditional policy because that is the work I think we need to do collectively."

Altman is known in Indianapolis tech circles as a skilled entrepreneur. He launched and sold a lawn mowing company before starting college and later co-founded a company called uFlavor.

If Altman had political aspirations, though, he hasn't made them apparent until now, said Michael Kelly, the managing partner for DeveloperTown.

"He's a wicked-sharp dude with lots of experience in project management and getting things done," Kelly said.

Kelly declined to speculate on how Altman's tech experience might translate into politics.

"I think he's hopeful that the tech community in Indianapolis will get behind and help support an independent voice," Kelly said.

Assuming he appears on the ballot, Altman in November would face Donnelly, a well-funded incumbent, and the winner of the May 8 Republican primary race that includes U.S. Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita, as well as businessman Mike Braun. Each of those candidates has millions of dollars on hand for their campaigns.

"I've worked in venture capital part of my life, so the numbers don't scare me," Altman said.

Altman dismissed the possibility that his campaign could siphon votes away from a major-party candidate.

"I'm unwilling to accept (a third-party candidacy) as stealing votes or being a spoiler," he said. "I don't think that's the right thought process."

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Altman's first public campaign event will be at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Speakeasy in Broad Ripple. Altman has been considering a run for Senate for the past six months and began working on a prospective campaign in January, he said.

"I saw an ever-growing divide between the two parties and how things are operating and it made me more and more uncomfortable," he said. "My background and past have been around being a uniter and pulling people together."

Call IndyStar reporter James Briggs at (317) 444-6307. Follow him on Twitter: @JamesEBriggs.