Republicans are looking to avoid a disaster in the Nebraska Senate race amid signs that an independent candidate could be giving Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) a run for her money.
Independent Senate candidate and political newcomer Dan Osborn is challenging Fischer for her seat, betting that Nebraskans are hungry for a nonpartisan senator in a state former President Trump won by close to 20 points in 2020.
Despite Nebraska’s reliably red political leanings, the dynamics of the race have shifted in recent weeks: Republican groups have started spending in the race, and the nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report last week shifted the race away from Fischer.
Outside groups Retire Career Politicians PAC and Nebraska Railroaders for Public Safety have poured money into the race in support of Osborn, including at least $3.2 million from the Retire Career Politicians PAC alone, according to AdImpact. Both groups have received sizable contributions from the liberal-leaning dark money group Sixteen Thirty Fund.
Osborn himself has been on the air, too. One of his campaign ads shows him next to an actor who’s portraying Fischer, who’s wearing a NASCAR-like jacket with patches that seek to show corporate interests who have given money to her.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) — the Senate GOP’s campaign arm — and the conservative super PAC Heartland Resurgence have also started to pour in money of their own, painting Osborn “as a Democrat in disguise” and tying him to progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Osborn would certainly need to defy political gravity in GOP-friendly terrain. Independents as of late have also historically struggled to gain traction in Senate bids, the latest example of which came from Utah in 2022, when independent Evan Mullin lost to Sen. Mike Lee (R).
Posted by John3262005