Pete Ricketts Wins Nebraska Senate Race, Handing Dan Osborn His Second Loss

WASHINGTON — Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., secured a full six-year Senate term Tuesday after defeating nominally independent candidate Dan Osborn in a closely watched contest in the reliably Republican state.

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Ricketts, 62, is the son of TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts. Gov. Jim Pillen appointed him to the Senate in January 2023 to complete the term of Ben Sasse, who resigned after the 2022 midterm elections to lead the University of Florida. Ricketts assumed the Senate seat just one week after completing his own eight-year tenure as Nebraska’s governor.

Osborn, 51, entered the race without a Democrat on the ballot, giving him an opening to attract voters beyond the party’s traditional base. Ricketts and his allies, however, repeatedly labeled him “Democrat Dan,” arguing that he would follow the example of Maine independent Angus King and Vermont independent Bernie Sanders by caucusing with Senate Democrats.

Osborn, a union leader, countered by calling Ricketts “Private Equity Pete,” portraying the senator as out of touch with the financial pressures facing ordinary Nebraskans. His campaign focused on rising energy costs and renewed inflation linked to the Iran war.

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Osborn first stepped into the political spotlight after leading a 2021 strike at a Kellogg’s plant in Omaha. He later made an unsuccessful bid against Nebraska’s other senator, Deb Fischer, in 2024.

Political observers often grouped Osborn with two other so-called “prairie populists”: Josh Turek in Iowa and Adam Hamilton in Kansas. Both mounted stronger-than-anticipated challenges to Republican Senate candidates.

Osborn faced intense criticism in September after leaked audio captured him mocking supporters of President Trump. In the recording, he said, “their lives probably suck so f—king bad.”

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Trump traveled to Nebraska on Oct. 5 to help Ricketts secure the victory. The president praised the incumbent for “always asking for money for Nebraska” and highlighted Ricketts’ support for new tax breaks involving tips, overtime and Social Security benefits.

“The Democrats are running a radical left lunatic — he’s a lunatic — named Dan Osborn, a fake independent,” Trump said. “A fake independent who will say anything to get elected.”