Two-term Republican Sen. Deb Fischer is defending her Senate seat in a contest that’s grown unexpectedly competitive in Nebraska, a reliably red state, with polls indicating a tight race against independent candidate Dan Osborn in the lead-up to Election Day.
Osborn is a 49-year-old political newcomer, a Navy veteran, mechanic and union leader who led the strike at Omaha’s Kellogg plant in 2021. His campaign received a surge of outside funding that forced Republicans to redouble their efforts in a race that was thought to be an easy win. Osborn billed his challenge against Fischer as offering a change to the status quo, painting his opponent as an establishment politician controlled by corporate interests. He has pledged not to caucus with either Democrats or Republicans in the Senate if elected.
During her time in the Senate, Fischer, 73, has served on the powerful armed services and appropriations committees. She has a background as a cattle rancher and has seen easy victories in two previous contests against Democratic opponents. This cycle, she has described her independent challenger as a “Democrat in disguise” in the final weeks of the campaign, while leaning on an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
Osborn has expressed positions generally shared by moderates, including opposition to national abortion restrictions, support for “reasonable gun safety measures” and stronger border security, while leaning into a populist message. In a recent ad, he likened his Republican opponent to Hillary Clinton, while highlighting areas where he is “with Trump” — on China, the border and “draining the swamp.”
Senate bids from independent candidates under similar conditions in red states have previously fallen short, like in Utah in 2022 and Alaska in 2020. Nebraska is a solidly red state, with nearly twice as many registered Republicans as Democrats. But it’s also home to a large share of nonpartisan voters. And without a Democrat in the race to draw the party’s votes, the race appeared to be within striking distance for Osborn heading into Election Day.
The outcome of the race has implications for the makeup of the Senate. Democrats were fighting to hang onto their narrow 51-49 majority, with few opportunities for pickups and a long list of states to defend.