Dan Osborn, an industrial mechanic who misplaced a Senate bid as an impartial towards Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) by single digits final yr, is launching one other bid for the higher chamber – this time for Sen. Pete Ricketts’ (R-Neb.) seat.
In his launch video, Osborn contrasts his working-class background as an industrial mechanic and navy veteran with Ricketts’ household wealth, being the eldest son of TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts.
“There’s lots of wealthy guys in Washington like Pete Ricketts, however not quite a bit with palms like these,” Osborn says within the advert. “We repair their vehicles, develop their meals, battle their wars.”
“Politicians like Sen. Pete Ricketts are the issue,” he continued. “His dad labored for a residing, however Petey? He obtained his cash the quick manner: His billionaire household.”
Osborn’s advert additionally nods to the steamfitter’s background, the place he led a significant strike towards Kellogg in Omaha in 2021, and says, “I did not purchase my manner into politics.”
“I am working for Senate as a result of Congress should not simply be a playground for the wealthy. We gotta make issues extra inexpensive, safe the border, and tackle corruption in Washington,” he says within the advert.
In an interview with The Hill forward of his announcement, the mechanic mentioned he was making one other run for Senate to advocate for the working class. Osborn shocked many final yr when his longshot Senate bid towards Fischer got here strikingly shut. He misplaced to the cattle rancher by near 7 factors whereas President Trump handily received the state by greater than 20 factors.
He famous that a number of the dynamics of this race could be completely different in comparison with his run towards Fischer, together with the truth that he is a better-known candidate this time round and he is working towards a rich incumbent.
Osborn mentioned he wished to point out People and Nebraskans particularly that “there’s one other manner ahead and create a degree taking part in discipline for employees to have the ability to get forward on this nation and cease racing in the direction of the underside and wealth funneling to the highest.”
Whereas Osborn made final yr’s race surprisingly aggressive, the election underscored the more and more tough political terrain for impartial candidates in an ever-partisan surroundings. Beating Ricketts, who was appointed to the Senate in 2023 after former Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) retired early from his seat, may even be no simple feat.
The previous Nebraska governor, who’s working for a full time period subsequent yr, can have a transparent monetary edge over Osborn. Even earlier than Osborn made his announcement, Trump got here out with a robust endorsement of Ricketts on his Fact Social platform in April whereas deriding the steamfitter as “a Radical Left Open Border Extremist, who will put our Nation, and Security, LAST.”
On the identical time, Osborn might additionally profit from the midterm surroundings, when the president’s occasion usually faces electoral headwinds.
Regardless of Nebraska’s reliably Republican leanings, Osborn thinks there’s nonetheless an urge for food for a middle-of-the-road candidate.
“For those who have a look at the tip zones being the 2 events, the loudest definitely sit ultimately zones, and if you happen to sit round and also you both watch Fox Information or MSNBC all day lengthy you understand you’d suppose we’re all preventing within the streets with one another, and we hate one another,” Osborn mentioned.
“My world’s a unique world,” he mentioned. “I stroll round and speak to individuals all day lengthy, and I feel most individuals function inside the 40-yard strains, someplace down the center, both left or proper, however definitely, there’s lots of issues that all of us agree upon it doesn’t matter what facet you fall on.”
Osborn mentioned that if he is elected, he would not caucus with both occasion – one thing he additionally pledged the final time he ran. He quipped that he is a “free agent” — a doubtlessly enviable place in a narrowly divided Senate.
“If I’ve to deliver a garden chair after which pop it between the 2 aisles, that is the place I sit. I am going to eat lunch on my own,” the Nebraska impartial mentioned.
“I need to problem the system and present people who you may be an efficient senator as an impartial.”