Ricketts, Osborn Prepare for Contentious General Election as ‘Weirdest’ Primary Race Comes to a Close

by Matt Johnson

(Picture credits Matt Johnson)

OMAHA — Today is primary election day in Nebraska, and among the heated battles underway, the most unusual race is for U.S. Senate. Republican incumbent Pete Ricketts—who was appointed by Gov. Jim Pillen in 2023 to replace Ben Sasse, then won a special election in 2024—is now seeking a full six-year term in 2026.

Independent Dan Osborn, who lost to Sen. Deb Fischer by 6.7 percentage points in 2024, is challenging Ricketts this cycle.

At the same time, Democrats have two candidates on their primary ballot—both of whom registered on the final filing day.

One is Bill Forbes, a pastor from Paxton, Neb., who is pro-life, has voted for Trump, and espoused conservative views in a series of now-deleted sermons, according to the Flatwater Free Press.

At a town hall of around 40 people in Lincoln on Saturday, Osborn closed his event by stating, “By the way, Bill Forbes is a Ricketts plant.”

Democrats, including state chair Jane Kleeb, see Forbes as a potential spoiler meant to split the ticket and dilute Osborn’s chances of defeating Ricketts in the general election.

Anticipating the move, Cindy Burbank filed immediately after Forbes on the final filing day. She pledged on her website to drop out and support Dan Osborn if she wins the primary. The accusation of a “plant” candidates in the race has led to Politico labeling the primary the “weirdest race” in America.

The Plains Sentinel asked Osborn whether these concerns about a split ticket show that he is, in fact, the de facto Democratic candidate.

“What kind of math is that?” Osborn replied. “I don’t know. I’m not a political pundit, man. I’m going to go out, I’m going to run my race, I’m going to go talk to as many people as possible. This is obviously all happening because Ricketts is scared, and the billionaires are scared of all of these workers.”

The Plains Sentinel asked Sen. Pete Ricketts about this Democratic gamesmanship when he arrived at the polls to vote Tuesday morning.

“When the Democratic Party endorses Dan Osborn, and one of the Democratic primary candidates says that she’s going to drop out and endorse Dan Osborn if she wins, it pretty much tells you Dan Osborn is a Democrat,” Ricketts said. “And if anybody’s trying to interfere with this election, it’s Dan Osborn.”

At the same polling place, CD2 candidate Denise Powell cast her ballot. The Plains Sentinel asked what she thought of Burbank’s plan to remove her name from the ballot should she win the primary.

“I have met Cindy a couple times. Cindy has my vote and my support,” Powell said. “She has been really clear about who she is and her intentions about running. And so she’s got my support right now.”

Secretary of State Bob Evnen initially removed Burbank’s name from the ballot, citing her stated intention to drop out after the primary as evidence she was running in bad faith. The Nebraska Supreme Court later reinstated her, but Evnen has said he will wait to see what happens if she wins.

“I’m going to wait and see if she wins that primary,” Evnen said at a recent event in Omaha. “If she submits a withdrawal, then I’m going to ask, ‘Well, what is my obligation with respect to this now? Do I have to accept it?’ So I’ve submitted this question to the Attorney General to see what happens.”

Ricketts did vote for a Democrat on Tuesday’s ballot—his wife, Suzanne Shore, who is running in a nonpartisan race for the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

“The regents race runs non-partisan, so I was able to cast a vote for my wife,” Ricketts said. “I’m very proud to do that—it’s the first Democrat I can remember voting for in a while.”

Midterm primary elections often see relatively low voter turnout. After casting his own ballot, Ricketts encouraged voters to remind friends and neighbors that there is, in fact, an election today.

“A lot of people may not know that we have midterm elections,” Ricketts said. “So if you’ve taken the opportunity to already vote today, reach out to your friends and families and neighbors. Remind them that we do have an election today.”

— Matt Johnson is a freelance reporter with The Plains Sentinel.