A Washington, D.C. press conference held by Dan Osborn to discuss AI and data center policy was disrupted Thursday after a protester called the Nebraska Senate candidate “a Democrat.”
“You’re lying Dan; you’re a Democrat,” the unidentified protester said. “How much money did you pay your mom or your wife?”
South Dakota U.S. Senate candidate Brian Bengs, who was a part of the press conference, promptly lost his cool at the man.
“Alright, I don’t think this is an appropriate time to have this conversation. But that is exactly the problem,” Bengs said, pointing at the man angrily.
“He wants to call us something we are not,” Bengs said, still pointing at the man and approaching him.
“He is a liar,” the man said, pointing back at Bengs and Osborn.
“You can call me whatever you want, bud,” Osborn interjected.
Bengs attempted to engage with the protester, who then responded to Bengs telling him to “get out of the way” because he is not from Nebraska.
“The civility of politics is not here because they are name-calling us,” Bengs said.
“He calls us f***ers,” the protester said, referring to a recent private recording of remarks made by Osborn.
“We’re angry, people are obviously angry, you’re angry. Everybody is angry,” Osborn responded. “Yeah, I cuss. I’m a sailor. What can I say? I did four years on the U.S.S. Constellation.”
Bengs, like Osborn, is running as an Independent. The Democratic nominee in South Dakota, Julian Beaudion, ended his campaign in August after he said he faced “intimidating threats to drop out of the race.”
The Plains Sentinel has reached out to the Osborn campaign for comment.
This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.
— John Gage is the executive editor of The Plains Sentinel.