Dan Osborn Challenges Pete Ricketts in 2026 Race \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Dan Osborn, former union leader and 2022 Senate candidate, has announced a new independent bid—this time to unseat Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts in 2026. He accuses Ricketts of buying his Senate seat and favoring billionaires over working families. Ricketts’ team dismissed Osborn as a liberal-backed candidate aligned with Democratic donors.
Quick Looks
- Dan Osborn announces 2026 bid against Sen. Pete Ricketts
- Labels Congress a “playground for the rich”
- Ricketts accused of buying his Senate seat through wealth
- Osborn vows to serve as a true independent
- Ricketts campaign calls Osborn a tool of liberal donors
- Osborn highlights working-class advocacy, Kellogg’s strike legacy
- Campaign financing expected to heavily favor Ricketts
- Osborn plans grassroots campaign with town halls statewide
- Ricketts was appointed to finish Ben Sasse’s term
- Critics say appointment looked like political backroom dealing
Deep Look
Dan Osborn, a former labor union leader and independent Senate hopeful who gained national attention in 2022, is stepping back into the political ring. This time, he’s launching a bold campaign to unseat Republican Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska in the 2026 election, positioning himself once again as a working-class champion taking on entrenched political wealth.
Osborn, best known for leading the 2021 labor strike against Kellogg’s cereal plants as an industrial mechanic in Omaha, brings a populist message grounded in economic equity and grassroots engagement. His campaign rollout on Tuesday included a direct jab at Ricketts’ political pedigree and fortune, calling out Congress as a “playground for the rich” and accusing Ricketts of essentially purchasing his Senate seat.
“I’m running for Senate because Congress shouldn’t just be a playground for the rich,” Osborn said in his announcement video. “My kids and yours deserve an American dream too.”
A Race of Opposites: Populist vs. Political Elite
Ricketts is one of the wealthiest individuals in the Senate. A former two-term governor of Nebraska and the son of TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, he was appointed in 2023 to complete the term of former Senator Ben Sasse, who resigned in 2022. That appointment came from Gov. Jim Pillen, a fellow Republican and close Ricketts ally who received over $1 million in campaign donations from the former governor—fueling allegations of cronyism and political backroom dealing.
The optics of Ricketts’ appointment still linger, with critics asserting that political influence and personal wealth played a decisive role in his rise to the Senate. Osborn is betting that many Nebraskans share his unease about that process.
While Ricketts’ campaign has highlighted his Senate record—citing votes to “secure the border and cut taxes for Nebraska workers”—it wasted no time painting Osborn as a tool of the national left. “Dan Osborn is bought and paid for by his liberal, out-of-state, coastal donors,” said campaign spokesman Will Coup.
That line references the nearly $20 million Osborn’s 2022 campaign received from political action committees, many aligned with Democratic interests. Despite this support, Osborn insists he remains firmly independent and has no plans to caucus with either Republicans or Democrats if elected.
“I’m not interested in joining the games that both parties are playing,” Osborn said. “I want to focus on working people—the kind of folks who aren’t getting invited to donor retreats or Washington cocktail hours.”
A Familiar Message, A New Target
Osborn’s 2022 campaign against incumbent Republican Sen. Deb Fischer shocked many political observers. Though a newcomer with no prior political experience, he ran a fiercely competitive race, outraised Fischer by over $1 million, and closed the margin to just six percentage points—an unusually tight contest in a state known for solid Republican dominance.
His message then, as now, centered on rising inequality, stagnant wages, and government policies that he says prioritize corporate profits over the welfare of ordinary Americans. “Congress spends their time bickering about how much we should cut taxes for billionaires and multinational corporations,” he said this week, referencing Ricketts’ support for a GOP tax and spending bill that includes $4.5 trillion in cuts—while slashing Medicaid and food stamps by $1.2 trillion.
Osborn argues these policies reveal who lawmakers are really fighting for—and it isn’t working families. He believes his own background as a laborer and union leader gives him a connection with voters that money can’t buy.
The Challenge of Money in Modern Campaigning
Still, Osborn faces a formidable financial hurdle. Ricketts had over $800,000 in campaign cash on hand by March, and his personal fortune means he could self-fund tens of millions more. Historically, this kind of financial imbalance has proven decisive in U.S. Senate races.
But Osborn isn’t daunted. “I think if you throw $100 million of your own money into Nebraska, I don’t know that that moves the needle any more than $30 does,” he said. “I think we’re going to win this the old-school way: go out to where people are, hold town halls, and just listen.”
His grassroots strategy aims to replicate the energy he generated in 2022, when he built a coalition of union members, independents, and disaffected Republicans. His campaign is betting that a “boots on the ground” approach will again resonate, particularly in rural and working-class areas where economic hardship is most deeply felt.
Independent but Not Invisible
The modern political landscape makes it hard for independents to succeed, but not impossible. Osborn seeks to emulate figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders, who, while technically independent, has cultivated a powerful populist identity. Osborn, however, insists he won’t align with either major party.
This stance could cut both ways. On one hand, it may appeal to voters tired of partisan politics and eager for a voice outside the duopoly. On the other, it could isolate him from potential institutional support in an election likely to draw national attention.
Still, his narrative—one of David vs. Goliath, of a union man challenging a billionaire heir—has political potency. In an age of rising skepticism toward elite institutions, Osborn is attempting to frame himself as the only candidate truly accountable to the people of Nebraska.
Ricketts’ Record and the Road Ahead
Sen. Pete Ricketts, meanwhile, will have to defend not only his Senate voting record but the legitimacy of how he got there. His votes on tax policy, healthcare spending, and government oversight will all be scrutinized in a race likely to draw sharp ideological contrasts.
He enters the race with all the advantages of incumbency, institutional support, and virtually unlimited financial resources. However, public perception of his wealth and political connections could complicate his reelection narrative—particularly in an election year likely to see high turnout and anti-establishment sentiment.
The 2026 Nebraska Senate race is shaping up to be more than a typical red-state reelection bid. It’s becoming a referendum on wealth in politics, representation, and whether a working-class outsider can upset the political order. Osborn believes the answer is yes.
“We’ve got a shot—not because we’re rich, but because we’re right,” he said.
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