Like the news media - who PROUDLY claim “Independent” rather than admit the liberal-socialist-democrat-green-communist as their party of choice - almost everybody who claims “Independent” are only pretending in their public responses, while liberally supporting democrats and their ideals in private.
And, of course, an “Independent” in the news media is unbiased and can freely report on anything and anybody, right?
It is why polls - so frequently this election season - add independents sometimes. And sometimes they avoid them by pretending that this is a two-way race, since that stance forces more independents over to the media’s favored column of “Hillary!”
You are correct: Independent usually means ideologically leftist, and functionally Democratic (or maybe Libertarian, which is not libertarian).
I grew up with a parallel phenomenon: I attended a “non-denominational” school for six years (7-12). I learned that Non-Denominational means functionally Anabaptist. Not being such (as a Lutheran), I was ridiculed, marginalized, and occasionally targeted by teachers, for my ostensibly mistaken theology for much of those six years.
However, If Clinton wins, then I will become Independent - thanks to the cuckservatives and their betrayal of us all.