Well, Nebraska's 2026 Senate race is shaping up to be interesting, to say the least. Incumbent Republican Senator Pete Ricketts, who was appointed on January 12, 2023, by Governor Jim Pillen to fill the vacancy left by Republican Ben Sasse's resignation. He won the seat in the 2024 general election against Democrat Preston Love Jr. by 62.6 to Love's 37.4.
Now, he's running for a full term. Democrat Cindy Burbank has withdrawn from the race, saying she couldn't see a path to winning. Now "independent" candidate Dan Osborn is Pete Ricketts' principal opponent, although they also have a potential spoiler, the Legal Marijuana Now Party (yes, really), Mike Marvin.
While all of the major prognosticators are calling this a "Likely Republican" race, that hasn't stopped Dan Osborn, who claims to be an independent, who refuses to say who he would caucus with, but who espoused the usual loony-tunes Democrat talking points. Speaking with CNN's Manu Raju on Inside Politics Sunday, Osborn let his progressive flag fly. First, he refuses to say he'll caucus with Democrats, but I'd bet this year's raspberry harvest that he will. Watch:
Nebraska Senate candidate Democrat Dan Osborn — who is running as a fake independent — refuses to say who he will caucus with.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 23, 2026
CNN: You won’t be able to sit on committees if you don't do the caucus
OSBORN: “You say I won’t be able to sit on committees but I beg to differ." pic.twitter.com/WkNY4PTU9E
Raju: Yeah, but again, you won't be able to sit on committees. You need to get a committee assignment, that's how the Senate operates. If you don't do the caucus, you say you're not going to caucus with anyone, you won't sit on a committee. Won't that make you less effective?
Osborn: Well, you say I won't be able to sit on committees, but I beg to differ, I think I'll uh, be able to get on many committees. LIke I said, people are going to want to be able to, uh, earn my vote (?) to get things done.
Spoiler: He wouldn't be on any committees. Not unless he caucuses with Democrats, like the senior independent, the daffy old Bolshevik from Vermont, Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Democrat Dan Osborn — who is running as a fake independent — admits he's in line with the Democrat party.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 23, 2026
CNN: It sounds like you are in line with a lot of Democrat positions…would you agree on a lot of the major issues?
OSBORN: "I agree, I think a good idea is a good idea." pic.twitter.com/Zmfkjg2Rxz
Raju: Yeah, but Mr. Osborn, based on your statement, it sounds like you're in line with a lot of Democratic positions. You said you support codifying Roe v. Wade, you oppose the president's Big Beautiful Bill, supported raising taxes on wealthy taxpayers, you've criticized Trump on tariffs. So would you agree then, on a lot of major issues, you're philosophically aligned with most Democrats?
Osborn: I agree, I think a good idea's a good idea, uh, really, it doesn't matter to me where it comes from. I'm a lifelong independent, I come from a conservative household, and, you know, I don't care what party comes up with a solution for health care, because both parties have had control of both the House and Senate in Congress since I've been alive, and healthcare still sucks.
Funny how all of what he mentions as being "good ideas" are still Democrat ideas. Democrats, after all, will never be happy until healthcare in the United States devolves to a UK-style single-payer plan, and we all know how well that has turned out.
Prediction: Republican Pete Ricketts for the win. Dan Osborn is not a serious candidate. Mind you, that doesn't mean that Pete Ricketts shouldn't pull out all the stops and campaign like he's down 20 points, right up to Election Day, but I agree with the pollsters ranking this a "Likely Republican" seat.
Still less convoluted than Alaska politics, and that's for sure and for certain.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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