Dan Osborn pursues a prairie populist upset in Nebraska U.S. Senate race

[Omaha Steve]

Ex-labor leader in heated bid against U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., one of state’s wealthiest, best-known politicians
By: Juan Salinas II - November 12, 2025 5:15 am



Dan Osborn speaks with a reporter at a Lincoln bar on Oct. 9. 2025. (Juan Salinas II/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN — In a downtown bar on O Street in the capital city, Dan Osborn drank a 16-ounce draft Coors Banquet Beer.

During a sit-down interview with the Nebraska Examiner at O’Rourke’s Tavern, the occasional patron walked up to Osborn to tell him they support his bid against U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. Some said they hope he pulls off an upset that would cause political shockwaves nationally. Osborn took a swig between answers and joked that his opponent would probably criticize him for drinking.

The former Omaha union leader and registered nonpartisan said his second Senate bid in three years has taught him the system is “rigged.”

“Trump was right, the system’s rigged … but it’s rigged by the big people and the people with the money that have the influence,” Osborn said.

Snip Opponents hammer him for using ActBlue, an online fundraising tool that promotes itself as a tool for helping elect Democrats. They also point to his tacit support from Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb, who has said Democrats want to break Republicans’ hold on Nebraska politics.

FULL story: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/12/dan-osborn-pursues-a-prairie-populist-upset-in-nebraska-u-s-senate-race/

Donate to Dan: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/danosborn

[Omaha Steve]

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