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    • Could Nebraska’s Senate seat be flipped by an independent?
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    Could Nebraska’s Senate seat be flipped by an independent?

    Umito Posted on

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    Of all the competitive U.S. Senate races this year, Sen. Deb Fischer, Republican of Nebraska, was expected to win re-election handily, where Trump won with about 58% of the vote in 2016 and 2020. But that was before Dan Osborna former union leader, decided to run for office as an independent.

    In a state where Republican victories are almost always won, Nebraska is now one of the the main Senate races to watch in the November 5 elections, because their outcome could determine which party controls the upper house of Congress.

    A recent New York Times/Siena College Poll places Osborn just two percentage points behind Fischer, 46% to 48%, with 5% of likely Nebraska voters either undecided or refusing to answer. Other political tracking organizations, including the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, have updated the contest for “leaning” versus “solidly” Republican.

    Osborn, a U.S. Navy and Nebraska National Guard veteran, declined the state Democratic Party’s endorsement. An independent candidate, his platform weaves together issues from both sides of the political aisle: he supports the Second Amendment, advocates for the protection of reproductive rights and wants to make it easier for unions to organize.

    This race is the Cornhusker native’s first time getting into politics, which he says is one of his greatest strengths.

    “It’s a story as old as time; if you can divide, you can conquer. Right now, I feel like we’re pretty divided,” Osborn recently told a crowd gathered at his Lincoln campaign office for an event highlighting his support for Nebraska conservatives.

    “You can imagine the consequences if Nebraska elects an independent candidate; the whole country is going to say, “Holy shit. » Do you see what Nebraska did? This will tell people across the country that you don’t have to be a self-funded crypto-billionaire to run for office.

    In an election characterized by historic political division, Osborn is running as a candidate with no allegiance to either party, often airing his grievances over partisan gridlock and Capitol inefficiency.

    One question that has both parties in suspense is whether Osborn will caucus with one party in the Senate. When asked about this, Osborn cites former Sen. George Norris, I-Nebraska, who was the last independent to represent the state in 1942. Norris was not part of any party and brought his nonpartisan nature back to Nebraska , where he helped founded the state’s unicameral legislature.

    “We pride ourselves on being different from others, but also independent,” said Elizabeth Theiss-Morse, a political science professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

    From the middle to the outside

    What was a relatively low-key operation a few months ago, Fischer’s campaign came out in full force to energize his Republican base, with millions of dollars in funding from national Republicans and support from the former president. Donald Trump in his pocket.

    The GOP is investing millions in the race to retain a Republican seat in the upper chamber, including a recent $3 million contribution from a super political action committee aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R- Kentucky. The infusion of cash into his campaign enabled an avalanche of expensive television ads portraying Osborn as a Democrat in disguise.

    “My opponent supports amnesty and Social Security for illegal immigrants and has said he loves Bernie Sanders — he is simply too far left for our state,” Fischer said in a statement to USA TODAY.

    “Nebraskans support me because I’ve delivered results: from supporting border security and a strong national defense to funding roads, bridges and airports to helping to facilitate lives of working families through my Paid Family Medical Leave law, I have a long way to go. , a conservative record that helped build Nebraska and keep America strong.

    Fischer has deep roots in greater Nebraska, coming from a ranching background in Valentine, a town near the state’s northern border. She has held a series of public offices in the state, including seats in the Nebraska Legislature and the Valentine Rural High School Board of Education, and is now seeking a third term.

    On the other hand, Osborn is working to court voters of all political parties, but is currently targeting Fischer’s conservative base by emphasizing his commonalities with Trump.

    “I tell people, whether I’m sitting in a room in Lincoln full of Democrats or whether I’m sitting in Hastings, Nebraska, in a room full of Republicans or mixed people, my message doesn’t change,” Osborn told USA TODAY. “It’s that Republicans are not the enemy, Democrats are not the enemy, corporations are the enemy.”

    In addition to fighting tooth and nail to label themselves insincere, the candidates’ emphasis on supporting unions is also at the forefront of this race.

    Fischer touted the support of unions across the state, including several police and fire organizations, as well as the Nebraska Farmers Union, which supports several Democrats running for national office.

    John Hansen, president of the NFU, defended Fischer, explaining that she has always put the needs of the state’s farmers and ranchers first since her time in the state Legislature and as a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture.

    “Fischer is one of the few Republicans in Congress who is actually willing to step aside and try to gather bipartisan support to pass his legislation and attach it to the Farm Bill,” Hansen said. “We know each other well. We have a good personal and professional relationship.

    Osborn has the support of several unions and worker organizations, including the Nebraska AFL-CIO, the United Auto and Communications Workers of America, and the Nebraska Railroaders for Public Safety.

    One of the main reasons for the NRPS’s support for Osborn came from the frustration they faced when they were unable to get in touch with Fischer’s office during a union fight with the railroads of the state in 2022, according to Mike Helmink, co-founder of the group. and treasurer.

    “I think the race has gotten a lot of attention because he poses a serious threat,” Helmink said. “I don’t think the Republicans saw this coming at all. They wanted to hope he would die, and he only got bigger. It’s a good candidate, a good message and it connects so much with so many people.

    Reuters contributed reporting to this story

    Umito
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