Dan Osborn Launches 2026 Nebraska Senate Campaign

Dan Osborn, an independent, Navy veteran, and former labor leader who led the 2021 Kellogg’s strike, has launched a campaign to challenge Republican incumbent Pete Ricketts in Nebraska's 2026 U.S. Senate election. Osborn, who ran a close race in 2024, is running on a pro-working class, pro-union platform, highlighting the contrast between his blue-collar roots and Ricketts' billionaire background. Although Osborn refuses to caucus with either major party, he received significant support from Democratic-aligned groups in his previous campaign and maintains he represents only Nebraskans. The Nebraska Democratic Party has again decided not to run a candidate, setting up a direct contest between Osborn and Ricketts. Republicans continue to criticize Osborn as a Democrat in disguise, while his independent stance and past performance have drawn attention to the race in the Republican-leaning state. Osborn's campaign focuses on affordability, border security, and combatting corruption in Washington.