Overview

• Osborn officially kicked off his 2026 Senate campaign on July 8 as an independent contender against GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts in Nebraska
• He has vowed not to caucus with either party if elected, contrasting his union-leader and mechanic background with Ricketts’s billionaire family ties
• President Trump swiftly endorsed Ricketts on Truth Social, labeling Osborn an “open border extremist” and reinforcing Republican unity
• GOP critics point to millions in outside funding and recent filings that show Democratic operatives managing Osborn’s campaign and an affiliated committee
• Both parties are mobilizing resources in Nebraska as Osborn’s outsider bid poses a rare threat to the Republican Senate majority