Daniel L. Osborn was born March 29, 1975, in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother was a seamstress; his father, Gary, worked for Union Pacific Railroad in labor positions before moving to management. Osborn served in the U.S. Navy for four years after high school and later in the Nebraska Army National Guard. Starting in 2004, he worked as an industrial mechanic at the Kellogg's Omaha plant, where he rose to president of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 50G. He became nationally prominent leading a 77-day strike in 2021 demanding fair wages and ending a two-tier pay system. After being fired by Kellogg's (he claims retaliation for union activities; company disputed this), he transitioned to boiler maintenance and repair at Boys Town. In 2024, running as an independent against incumbent Republican Sen. Deb Fischer, Osborn garnered 47% of the vote, losing by just over 6 percentage points—the strongest performance by an independent in a Nebraska U.S. Senate race ever and remarkable in a state Trump carried by 20 points. He is married to Megan, has three children, is Catholic, and has been registered as a nonpartisan voter since at least 2004.
Osborn grew up in Omaha after his family moved there when he was seven. His father worked for Union Pacific Railroad and later became a Republican Dodge County Commissioner. After graduating high school, Osborn enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving four years on active duty, and later joined the Nebraska Army National Guard. In 2004, he began working as an industrial mechanic at Kellogg's Omaha plant, eventually rising to become president of the local union (Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 50G). He led the high-profile 2021 strike lasting 77 days against two-tier pay system, gaining national prominence as a labor leader. After being fired (he claims retaliation; company disputed), he transitioned to boiler maintenance and repair work at Boys Town while maintaining union membership. Osborn is married to Megan, has three children, is Catholic, and has maintained nonpartisan voter registration since at least 2004.