Nebraska Independent running for Senate is looking to ‘challenge the system’

Ajouté : 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]And we're going to turn now to another Senate race. This one in Nebraska, where Democrats are hoping that picking a Senate candidate who can't win in November will actually help them flip the seat in that red state. Democratic voters voters threw their support behind Cindy Burbank in the Senate primary primary earlier this month after she signaled she might drop out of the race if she won to pave the way for independent Dan Osborn to face Republican Pete Ricketts one-on-one in November. Now, Burbank won the Democratic nomination, but according to Nebraska Secretary of State, she actually can't withdraw until the election is certified next month.

[00:00:38]And Dan Osborn joins me now. Thank you so much for joining me, Dan. Let's talk about the state of the race. First, let's talk about Cindy Burbank, who is the Democratic nominee right now. Have you been in touch with her regarding when she will drop out of the race and clear a path for your candidacy?

[00:00:55]No, no, I haven't. I I just figure we're just going to keep keep going here. We're getting a lot of support. We're fundraising. We've raised over 4 and 1/2 million dollars. We continue to show how viable this campaign is. We've done over 70 town halls. We're just going to keep getting out there talking to farmers, ranchers, nurses, and teachers and finding out what they want in a US senator. So, but do you have an opinion as to whether or not her staying in the race would help or hurt your campaign? And are you making a concerted effort to reach out to Democratic voters in Nebraska?

[00:01:29]Yeah, I've thought about this every which way to Sunday and you know, right now I stay focused on especially, you know, the ag community. We're we're fifth in the country in soybean exports, third in corn, first in beef. And right now, agriculture has been getting slapped in the face quite a bit here in Nebraska with a wildfire that's burned over a million acres and now their inputs are through the roof. We got to keep our farmers farmers and ranchers profitable here. And but as far as what what Democrats and Republicans and Libertarians are doing in the state, I don't know. I'm just going out and meeting people where they're at.

[00:02:08]Well, speaking of Democrats, Jane Kleeb, who was the chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, said in a statement back in March, she said the Nebraska Democratic Party made a deliberate principled decision not to field a candidate in the US Senate race because we believe Dan Osborne, that's you, a veteran and mechanic and Nebraskan and an independent voice represents the best opportunity to defeat Pete Ricketts and deliver real results for working families. And and I don't want you to think that I'm obsessed with this topic, but I'm asking you a lot of pointed questions about this because uh Pete Ricketts, your opponent, is suggesting perhaps that you're just a Democrat in disguise and and and are not running as a true independent. The fact that you have these Democrats supporting you, the efforts or the lack of coordination you may have had with the Democratic campaign, what do you say to that true centrist voter in Nebraska that thinks that you're just running as a Democrat uh only not without the moniker next to it.

[00:03:00]Yeah, well, I've been a I've been a lifelong independent from the time I could vote. And ultimately, I I just tell people, "Look, you know, Democrats have failed on the border. I think they failed a lot of agriculture and manufacturing with NAFTA. I think Obama failed with bailing out the banks. I think both parties are guilty of cow tailing to corporate entities and the money interests in politics. I don't take corporate money.

[00:03:27]I don't want to be a part of the problem. I want to be a part of the solution." So, this really goes back to what Abraham Lincoln said. It's a government by and for the people. And you know, I don't want to have to have a party boss when I get in there. I want to work for the people the way this was all intended 250 years ago. And so, how would that work if you got to Washington as an independent? Would you caucus with a particular party? How do you envision what your role would be in Washington because the role within the party is an important part of the legislative process when you get here.

[00:03:56]Sure, that's that's that's exactly what it is. It's a It's a process, you know, it's certainly not written in the Constitution of the United States.

[00:04:04]I want to challenge the system because the system needs to be challenged because regardless of what administration has been in control and and what the president's name is and who it's been, I feel like working people like families like mine have been getting left out. And you know, so my whole goal here is is to challenge the system that needs to be challenged. And so, you know, I've said it once, I'll say it a million times, I'm not going to caucus with either party. I am going to Well, that'll probably lead you into your next question. How are you going to be effective? Well, I think really, you know, if I if I would have beaten Deb Fischer in 2024, the big beautiful bill would have never have passed. I would have never have given the lion's share of tax cuts in Nebraska to the Ricketts family. So, you know, that that's what that is is that's leverage, that's power. I certainly will use that to deliver for the people in Nebraska.

[00:04:59]Okay, so let's talk about Deb Fischer.

[00:05:01]You lost to her by more than five points in 2024, but that was a bit of a surprise given the fact that you had kind of come out of nowhere as a political neophyte. Things are a little bit different here in 2026. You're a known quantity now, but do you think that Pete Ricketts is a more vulnerable candidate or do you think the political climate's different? How is this going to be different than your last run?

[00:05:22]Well, I think I think Ricketts people know him. He ran our state like a mob boss when he was governor for two terms.

[00:05:28]He would spend especially against even even his own party. He would spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in primaries to make sure people wouldn't work in the state anymore. And he's got no scruples. He do he'll He tries to drag people down. He tries to ruin reputations.

[00:05:44]That's who he is. You know, I just ask people, look, are you better off since the Ricketts regime has been in power here in Nebraska? And the answer resoundingly is no.

[00:05:55]You know, we're Is he Is he more vulnerable? No, I don't think so. He's got, you know, he could write himself a $50 million check tomorrow.

[00:06:03]But But you know what? Nebraska is not for sale. People are fed up with the status quo here, especially with prices at the grocery store and the gas pump and rent. And you know, we're going to we're going to let our voices be heard in November.

[00:06:17]And then my last question for you, sir, is that poll after poll after poll shows that most Americans are disenfranchised by both Republican and Democratic parties. More and more young people don't even identify with a political party, but yet we've yet to see a major candidate break through at the national level without a direct party affiliation outside of Bernie Sanders and Angus King, who caucus with the Democrats. Do you think your victory could open the door to more independent candidates like yourself actually running and then succeeding and that an independent movement could actually be a political force in this country? [clears throat] I think I think that's definitely within the realm of possibilities as long as they do it right, as long as they don't take corporate money and you know, special interest money that that hurts American ideals. I think if you can if you're going to be a have an unapologetically worker platform, yeah, I think this this model will work for certainly a lot of people. And you know, if if you want to support me against a billionaire, you can go to osbornforsenate.com.

[00:07:18]Appreciate it, all the help that I can get. But ultimately, you know, at the end of the day, anything's possible.

[00:07:25]Okay. Dan Osborn, candidate for Senate in Nebraska, thanks so much for joining us.

[00:07:30]Thank you.

[00:07:31]We thank you for watching and remember stay updated on breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or watch live on our YouTube channel.