Dan Osborn, a US Senate candidate, meets with prospective voters at a Big Red Keno in west Lincoln on October 20, 2024. (Zach Wendling / Nebraska Examiner)
Abraham Lincoln Former Nebraska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn has broadened his political options for the future, including a seat in the United States Senate or House, as well as a run for Governor.
Osborn told the Examiner that he is now considering running in eastern Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District against Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, in addition to a House bid against Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon in Omaha’s 2nd District.
Osborn is also considering two statewide campaigns, one for Senate against U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and another for governor against Gov. Jim Pillen, he told the Omaha World-Herald last month.
“Many variables to consider,” Osborn informed the Examiner.
Fischer race raised its profile.
Osborn, a steamfitter and former Omaha union leader, made national headlines for his populist politics during his 2024 campaign against U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., which turned an expected safe seat into a potential upset. He lost by approximately 6 percentage points.
Following the race, he formed a political action committee to back working-class candidates and encourage more “plumbers, carpenters, teachers, nurses, and factory workers to run for office.”
His former opponent, Fischer, and national Republicans have long claimed that many of the millions of dollars poured into Osborn’s labor-led 2024 campaign came from Democrats and Democratic-leaning individuals.
Osborn denied any party affiliation, but admitted to seeking endorsements from Nebraska Democrats and third parties in the past. Fischer and Nebraska Republicans said they felt vindicated late in the race, when Senate Democrats’ main super PAC donated more than $3.8 million to an outside group backing Osborn. Many Democrats kept the independent at arm’s length until the very end of the campaign.
The 2nd District race may be crowded.
A potentially crowded 2nd District race could be the reason Osborn is looking beyond the Omaha-area House race. Local and national Democrats have told Osborn, a populist nonpartisan, that he must become a Democrat if he wishes to run and win in the 2nd District. National Democratic donors frequently target the 2nd District as a potential Republican pickup and seek a Democratic candidate to compete.
The Nebraska Democratic Party told the Examiner earlier this month that, while “we respect Dan and look forward to building a true alliance with him and independent voters to end the Republican stranglehold on our state,” they would announce a candidate for the 2nd District soon.
“It is our job to build the Democratic Party, and we are focused on doing that while creating alliances with candidates like Dan when it is the best path for Nebraskans,” said Jane Kleeb, state party chair.
Osborn recently spoke with his former campaign manager on the Dan Parsons Show podcast about the challenges of competing in a potential three-way race in the 2nd District. He stated that it would be his brand of politics versus the incumbent Bacon and a possible Democratic candidate.
“Ultimately, would a three-way race be winnable with an independent?” Osborn inquired.
Osborn stated on the podcast that nonpartisan or independent candidates typically play spoiler roles, which he does not want to do. He stated that he does not want to run for office solely for the sake of it.
“I want to make a difference,” Osborn explained. “This is what keeps me up at night.”
The GOP is in charge.
Republicans have almost completely dominated America’s heartland, which was once known for its prairie progressivism.
If Osborn is able to unseat any of Nebraska’s federal delegation, it will be the first time a non-Republican has represented Nebraska in Congress since Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford defeated Republican U.S. Rep. Lee Terry in the 2nd District in 2014. Ben Nelson was the last non-Republican governor, serving in the late 1990s.
Osborn declined to answer a reporter’s question about when he would make a decision. He told the World-Herald that he would make a decision by early March.
A political spokesperson for Flood and Ricketts had no immediate comment on Osborn, but stated that she has “never seen someone office shop so much.”