Nebraska Dems chair 'supporting' Dan Osborn vs. U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts

Source: Nebraska Examiner

Osborn says his campaign welcomes the support of all Nebraskans
By: Juan Salinas II - July 31, 2025 7:01 pm

LINCOLN — The chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party is singing a different tune about nonpartisan labor leader Dan Osborn this time around, compared to Osborn’s 2024 bid against Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer.

Wednesday on X, Nebraska Democratic Chair Jane Kleeb posted, “We are supporting Dan Osborn” against Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts in the 2026 midterms. She wrote it in response to a question from an X user about whether the party expects a Democratic candidate to join the race.

“We believe a coalition of Dems, Indys, and Republicans can beat Ricketts and break up the one-party rule,” Kleeb replied. “We like the odds of a mechanic vs a billionaire.”

The state’s second-largest political party had hinted in an early July response to a question from the Examiner that leaders were not actively recruiting a candidate for the race. Kleeb’s online support carries weight partly because, in addition to her state role, she is essentially chair of state party chairs for the national Democrats, serving as president of the Association of State Democratic Committees.


U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn meets with prospective voters at a Big Red Keno in west Lincoln on Oct. 20, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Read more: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/07/31/nebraska-dems-chair-supporting-dan-osborn-vs-u-s-sen-pete-ricketts/