Nebraska Senate race 2026: Pete Ricketts vs. Dan Osborn

The basics

Nebraskans vote Nov. 3. Ricketts was appointed to the Senate in 2023 and won a 2024 special election. He is now seeking his first full term. He won the May 12 Republican primary with about 82% of the vote. Osborn, who ran against Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024, is again running as an independent. The state Democratic Party endorsed Osborn, and its primary winner, Cindy Burbank, withdrew in July to back him, leaving no Democrat on the ballot. Republicans have not lost a Senate race in Nebraska since 2006, and the last independent to win one was George Norris in 1936. It is also the first time a state has had no Democratic Senate nominee in two straight election cycles, according to Smart Politics. The candidates met once, at a Sept. 1 debate at the Nebraska State Fair hosted by News Channel Nebraska.

The candidates

Pete Ricketts (R) was Nebraska's governor for two terms and earlier an executive at his family's company, Ameritrade. He has been endorsed by the National Border Patrol Council and the Nebraska Fraternal Order of Police, and President Trump campaigned with him in Grand Island on Oct. 5.

Dan Osborn (I) is a former industrial mechanic who led his Omaha union local during the 2021 Kellogg's strike, The Guardian reported, and a Navy and National Guard veteran. He has been endorsed by the UAW and other unions. "I will not caucus with either party," he has said, and he has proposed forming an independent caucus in the Senate.

Where the race stands

Recent polls show a close race. YouGov (Sept. 24–Oct. 3, 1,809 likely voters, ±3.3) had Osborn 48%, Ricketts 47%. A co/efficient poll (Sept. 28–30) had Ricketts 48%, Osborn 43%, and SurveyUSA (Sept. 8–13) had Osborn 46%, Ricketts 42%, Newsweek reported. STTPN's average counts only the YouGov poll, because it was the one independent poll in the past 45 days that met its standards.

Cook rates the race Likely Republican, Sabato's Crystal Ball Lean Republican and Inside Elections Tilt Republican. Ricketts had raised about $14.5 million through Oct. 14 and Osborn about $11 million, according to the FEC. The Senate Leadership Fund plans to spend about $15 million for Ricketts, The Wall Street Journal reported, and Ricketts's campaign says outside groups had reported about $12.8 million backing Osborn by the middle of October, according to Newsweek.

The issues

Cost of living and inequality

These, along with inflation and AI data centers, have been leading issues, The New York Times reported. Osborn calls Ricketts an "out-of-touch billionaire" and has raised concerns about farm bankruptcies and large investors buying farmland.

Data centers

Osborn is a critic of AI data centers and has raised concerns about them at town halls. Ricketts supports building them and has called AI data centers a matter of national security.

Money in politics

Osborn wants to ban corporate PAC donations and stock trading by members of Congress. Ricketts's campaign argues Osborn is backed by national Democratic money and is not truly independent. The Republican National Committee calls him "Democrat Dan."

Controversies

In September, audio surfaced in which Osborn appears to say Trump supporters' lives are miserable, using profanity. Ricketts reposted it. Osborn told CNN, "It sure sounds like me," and said he was speaking about people who are angry at the political system, KMTV reported.

Republicans have also pointed to payments from Osborn's campaign to members of his family, and his campaign restructured those arrangements after a complaint, Fox News reported. Ricketts's deputy campaign manager, Max Oberg, told Newsweek, "Osborn lies to Nebraskans' faces and mocks Nebraskans behind their backs." Osborn says he is building "a broad coalition of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats" and denies being a Democrat in disguise.