Control of Senate majority. A Ricketts win solidifies Republican hold; Osborn victory would flip seat to Independent and potentially swing narrow Republican advantage.
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 is a 'fake independent' who is 'bought and paid for by his liberal, out-of-state, coastal donors' and will 'side with Chuck Schumer'
Ricketts campaign points to Osborn's reliance on Democratic super PACs ($3.85 million from Senate Majority PAC), Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee contributions, use of ActBlue fundraising platform, endorsement from Nebraska Democratic Party, and consultants with Democratic ties as evidence he is secretly a Democrat.
Osborn is 'a fake independent handpicked by Chuck Schumer, funded by Democrats, and backed by radical socialists'
NRSC ran digital ads in 2026 criticizing his social media history (including allegations about liking gay porn) and his stance on federal government shutdown, positioning him as too radical for Nebraska.
Osborn is a 'puppet' with 'far-left donors and consultants,' including ties to democratic socialist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani
Will Coup, Ricketts spokesman, noted that Osborn's senior adviser Morris Katz also worked for Mamdani, tying Osborn to democratic socialism and suggesting he's controlled by radical left figures.
Osborn is a 'phony independent' who Democrats should not support; strong Democrat should represent the party
Forbes, running in Democratic primary allegedly as GOP plant, argued voters 'want a strong Democrat who reaches across the aisle' rather than supporting Osborn, whose independence Forbes frames as phoniness.