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 traditionally Republican state.
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Ricketts, 62, the son of TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, entered the race as an incumbent after Gov. Jim Pillen appointed him to the Senate in January 2023. He succeeded Ben Sasse, who stepped down after the 2022 midterm elections to become president of the University of Florida. The appointment came just one week after Ricketts completed eight years as Nebraska’s governor.
Osborn, 51, gained an opening because no Democrat appeared on the ballot. But Ricketts and his supporters repeatedly labeled him “Democrat Dan,” arguing that he would effectively join Maine independent Angus King and Vermont independent Bernie Sanders in caucusing with Senate Democrats.
Osborn, a union leader, countered by branding the senator “Private Equity Pete,” seeking to portray Ricketts as out of touch with Nebraskans facing financial pressure from higher energy costs and renewed inflation linked to the war with Iran.
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Osborn first gained political attention after organizing a 2021 strike at a Kellogg’s facility in Omaha. In 2024, he made an unsuccessful bid to unseat Nebraska’s other senator, Republican Deb Fischer.
Political observers often grouped Osborn with Josh Turek of Iowa and Adam Hamilton of Kansas, two other “prairie populists” who mounted unexpectedly competitive challenges against Republican Senate candidates.
Osborn faced a setback in September when leaked audio emerged in which he mocked Trump supporters, saying, “their lives probably suck so f—king bad.”
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Trump traveled to Nebraska on Oct. 5 to help Ricketts secure the seat. The president praised the senator for “always asking for money for Nebraska” and highlighted Ricketts’ support for new tax breaks covering tips, overtime pay 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.”
