Overview

• Dan Osborn, an industrial mechanic and Navy veteran, officially announced his independent bid for Nebraska’s 2026 Senate seat held by Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts.
• He is running on a working-class populist message and has pledged not to caucus with either the Democratic or Republican party if elected.
• Republicans have already rolled out attack ads and social-media posts branding him a Democratic proxy, drawing on his 2024 funding from Democratic-aligned groups.
• Ricketts’s campaign highlights his record on border security and tax relief and has secured President Trump’s endorsement ahead of the general election next year.
• Osborn’s challenge could influence the Senate’s slim 53-47 Republican majority by testing whether an independent can overcome Nebraska’s deep GOP lean.