Clocking In for Change

Former factory worker Dan Osborn tells Newsweek about his plan as a Nebraska independent to give working people a "seat at the table" and why he's not a Democrat in disguise

- JASON LEMON

DAN OSBORN BELIEVES HIS “BEST YEARS” WERE spent working in a factory. This working-class relatability is what the Nebraska independent Senate hopeful and U.S. Navy veteran believes will be a winning message in 2026, especially as he faces off with one of the wealthiest men in Congress.

Incumbent Republican Senator Pete Ricketts, the eldest son of billionaire TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, has an estimated personal net worth of over $204 million. “Pete Ricketts is the son of a billionaire who really ran our state like a mob boss as a two-term governor, and spending millions of dollars in the state against his opponents,” Osborn, a former labor union leader and industrial mechanic, told Newsweek.

The GOP senator’s campaign has cast doubt on Osborn’s independent status, pointing to Democratic Party support. In September, he directly accused Osborn of having plans to undermine President Donald Trump’s agenda. Osborn has repeatedly said he will not caucus with either party. He also says he can get behind some Trump policies. At the same time, he sees the political dynamics between Republicans and Democrats in Washington, D.C. as “dysfunctional,” criticizing both parties for being beholden to the wealthy and corporations. He’s also critical of Trump’s tariffs, One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the Iran war. “How’s this going to increase people’s paychecks? And the answer is it’s not,” he said.

Chances of Beating Ricketts