CNN —
In Nebraska, a wild card candidate is shaking up the U.S. Senate map for Republicans, but the party did not expect to defend the seat in the reliably red state.
Dan Osborne, a former union president and independent who led his colleagues in the 2021 Kellogg strike, is proving to be a stronger challenger than expected in the state, defeating Republican incumbent Deb Fisher. That’s a little too close for the senator’s comfort. It prompted the Senate GOP’s campaign arm to become involved at a time when Senate Republicans were considering investing in other close races around the country.
It’s a testament to how little-known independents with populist messages resonate despite sometimes unsophisticated language and unconventional approaches to campaigning. . Mr. Osborne has not said who he would caucus with if elected to the Senate, and his views on policy do not neatly fit into Republican or Democratic categories. But political watchers in the state say Mr. Fisher, a two-term senator, has spent much of his time in Washington, doing committee work and serving as a leader in the Republican Party, but has become a national and Without building a state profile, Osborne claims he has benefited from that dynamic. Bringing her notoriety to her hometown.
“Deb makes no secret that she’s a total hard worker. She’s not a show. She makes no pretense about it,” a source familiar with Fisher’s campaign told CNN. “As a result, she has been a very effective senator. If you look at her committee assignments, how it works with the state and what she does through spending and infrastructure, You’ll see what I’ve done.”
Ms Fisher had previously promised to serve only two terms in the Senate, but Mr Osborne attacked her for deciding to seek a third term. In an interview with KETV in Omaha, Fisher said “our plans changed when we got there and learned how the place worked,” adding that Nebraska has the experience and connections in the House. He argued that we needed a senator with the right to do so.
“When I got to the Senate, I learned how important seniority is in the United States Senate,” she said. “It has to do with committee work and how we have built networks within the House as well as the Senate so that we can work together on bills to move legislation forward.”
CNN requested an interview with Fisher for this story, but her campaign claimed that her busy campaign schedule made her unavailable for an interview.
Despite Osborne’s claims that he is running without the support of a national party, Nebraska is the presidential candidate because the state allocates its electoral votes with emphasis on Omaha’s 2nd District. The state is benefiting from a competitive congressional race in Omaha, which is attracting state investment from the state. . Trump won the district in 2016 but lost in 2020.
The investment could help boost turnout and benefit Mr Osborne. Additionally, there are two abortion ballot initiatives. One restricts access to abortion, and the other allows abortion until the fetus is viable. There is also another ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana, and all three could prompt voters to vote. Please come to the voting station.
Still, Mr. Fisher is in a good political position, beating previous Democratic candidates by more than 14 points. Trump also won the state by about 19 points in 2020 and by 25 points in 2016.
But Sen. Pete Ricketts, who is running for the Senate this term to end former Sen. Ben Sasse’s term, warned that Mr. Fisher faces a closer race than expected.
“Deb is going to have a tough race,” Ricketts said during an appearance on the Clay and Buck radio show. “She just needs to get out of there. We need to get Republicans on board. We need to get Republicans back into the Republican Party, and in this race, Deb is a conservative Republican, not Dan Osborn.” We need to remember that.”
So far, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has booked Fisher more than $700,000, including a $172,000 joint ad buy with Fisher’s campaign in late September, according to AdImpact. This is a sign that the party is not betting on something that should be ruby red. state. Fischer’s previous broadcast spending totaled about $3.5 million, compared to more than $6 million for Osborne’s campaign. Pro-Osborne groups and the Osborne campaign have spent a total of $12.7 million to date, while the pro-Fisher and Fisher campaigns have spent $9.3 million.
“The NRSC’s top priority is to ensure that all sitting senators are re-elected,” NRSC spokesman Philip Retzow told CNN, adding that Osborne “has no chance of winning this election.” said.
Mr. Osborne maintains that he is still a novice in politics, and some of his answers in the interview with CNN include how he would like to translate his message into effective governance if an independent candidate arrives in Washington. It has been shown that they are struggling with how to convert.
Unlike other independent senators, Osborn said he has no plans to caucus with Republicans or Democrats when he takes office. However, senators are often given committee assignments through their caucuses. Control of the chamber hinges on a few close races, and things could get even more complicated if a wild card like Osborne gets involved.
“The reality is that I could be the 51st floating vote in the United States Senate, and that would certainly give me the ability to be more effective in Congress,” he told CNN. spoke.
Senators spend much of their time in Washington serving on committees assigned to them by their party’s leadership. Osborne was not clear when asked how he expected to receive committee assignments without caucusing with Republicans or Democrats.
“If people want to put me on a committee, they just need to see where I stand on an issue. If I agree with someone on an issue, I “I would look forward to being on that committee,” he said.
But Mr. Osborne left the door open when pressed on whether he could ultimately decide to caucus with either party after arriving in Washington.
“I don’t usually get hung up on assumptions, and I’m not a political analyst,” he said. “I probably don’t know as much as you do because I’m just in the house every day, but I know who the president is, how the House of Representatives is made up, how the Senate is made up, how many members there are. You know it depends on a lot of things, like what the state of Nebraska is like. We know how to contribute most effectively.”
Although Osborne is running as an independent, left-wing groups have contributed significantly to his campaign. Career after retirement Politicians ran television ads attacking Mr. Fisher for backtracking on his promise to serve only two terms in the Senate. The political action group has received more than $800,000 from the 1630 Fund, a group dedicated to electing progressive politicians.
“We have no control over who gives us money, who funds independent spending. We don’t even know who’s running it. It’s not allowed by law,” Osborn told CNN. So it’s disgusting and it’s really scary because I don’t even know who these people are.”
He further added, “If they think I’ll benefit them, they’ll come back with something.”
Osborne did everything in his power to keep the Democratic Party machine at arm’s length. But the Nebraska Democratic Party maintains that Osborne was initially in talks with the party about forming a coalition with its support. The group issued a statement accusing him of a “betrayal” of trust after he chose to run as an independent candidate without support last spring.
Osbourne dismissed the claims and issued the following statement to CNN: Our campaign does not accept the endorsement of any political party or politician. ”
He added: “I want to work with people of all backgrounds and political parties, including Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and independents, to serve the people of Nebraska. However, I am not a member of either party, and I don’t accept a dime of corporate PAC money, and I never will because I refuse to be controlled by any party boss or special interest group.I am beholden to Nebraska in the Senate. Only people.”
Nebraska Democratic Party Chairman Jane Cleave told CNN that some Democrats are hesitant to support Osborne.
“The public is concerned that we are slipping into a Kyrsten Sinema-like position where one person holds the Senate hostage,” she said, adding that some of Osbourne’s positions are her own. He pointed out that this was inconsistent with our position.
“When you’re in politics, you don’t just support politicians and support politicians. We support people who share your values. And I’m just worried that I don’t know what Dan will do. ,” Cleave added.
Osbourne declined to say whether she plans to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump, only telling CNN that she plans to vote for one or the other. “Yes, I am going to exercise the right to vote that so many people died to give me,” he said.
The state party included Osborn in its newsletter to voters. “We told voters that we thought what he did to Democrats was inappropriate, and that, as you know, there are currently two choices on the ballot and voters have to make that choice. I explained that I don’t believe it will happen,” Cleave told CNN.
CNN’s David Wright contributed to this report.
