‘What a Conservative Is Today Is Far Different Than It Was 11 Years Ago,’ Says Mark Cuban. If It Were Up to Him, He’d ‘Get Rid of All Political Parties.’

Mark Cuban has a pitch for fixing U.S. politics, and it starts with scrapping the parties altogether.

"What a conservative is today is far different than it was 11 years ago […] And the parties are completely different," Cuban said on “The Reason Interview” podcast in October 2026. "If it were up to me, I'd get rid of all political parties. I think they've outlived their usefulness. They're just a way to raise money and to try to aggregate power as opposed to the power of ideas."

The billionaire entrepreneur isn't just talking, either. He says his checkbook stays shut.

“I don't give to politicians. I don't give a penny to politicians. Either you agree with what I have to say and you think it's of value to you, or you don't. And I have no intent of changing that," Cuban said. ”Either my ideas stand up on their own, or they don't."

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Cuban Wants Ideas, Not Party Cards

Cuban applies the same no-labels logic to where he lives. Texas has treated him and his family well, he said, even as the state has shifted from mostly blue to purple to red.

"The only constant is change," Cuban said. He then recounted his father telling him, "You don't live in the world you were born into."

Cuban has described himself as an independent who judges candidates on their ideas, and that came through in the same conversation. He talked about appearing alongside Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico because they agree on healthcare reform, while repeating that he doesn't donate to politicians.

From Broadcast.com to Cost Plus Drugs

Cuban made his fortune selling Broadcast.com and owning the Dallas Mavericks. These days, he's putting much of his energy into healthcare affordability through Cost Plus Drugs. The interview covered that company, his support for bipartisan efforts to bring down healthcare costs, and his long-term plans in Texas.

It's not the first time Cuban has taken a swing at both major parties. This time, he's going after the machinery itself, arguing that the parties have become fundraising operations first and idea factories a distant second.

Cuban's own test is simple. Skip the party label, look at the idea, and see if it holds up — just like he says his own ideas have to.

On the date of publication, Caleb Naysmith did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.