Photo Credit: Associated Press
Republican Sen. Deb Fischer has defeated independent challenger Dan Osborn to retain her Senate seat in Nebraska after a surprisingly competitive race, according to projections from the Associated Press.
Nebraska had two Senate races in 2024. In one, Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts easily won his special election, maintaining a GOP stronghold. However, in Fischer’s race, Democrats made a strategic choice not to field a candidate, instead encouraging support for Osborn, a 49 year-old former labor union leader and Navy veteran who ran as an independent. Despite Democrats’ support, Osborn, who has always registered as non-partisan, declined an official endorsement from the party.
Fischer, 73, has held her Senate seat since 2013, with a political career that began in Nebraska’s State Legislature in 2005. Leading up to this election, she faced low approval ratings, creating an opening for Osborn in a typically safe Republican state. Osborn focused his campaign on middle-class tax cuts, small business support, and a secure border. He also voiced opposition to a national abortion ban, backed gun rights, and advocated for marijuana legalization. His platform gained him attention and support from those dissatisfied with Fischer’s leadership, as well as Democratic voters who sought a viable alternative.
National interest in the Nebraska race grew as polls indicated a closer-than-expected contest. In her 2018 reelection, Fischer won comfortably with over 57% of the vote, while her Democratic opponent struggled to reach even 40%. This year, with no Democratic candidate on the ballot, Osborn saw an opportunity to rally both Democratic-leaning voters and Fischer’s critics in his long-shot bid.
The unexpectedly tight race in Nebraska added pressure on Republicans in what had otherwise been a favorable Senate map. Democrats have been forced to defend seats in traditionally red states like Ohio and Montana to hold on to their narrow Senate majority. Nebraska, a state that has not elected a non-Republican U.S. senator since Democrat Ben Nelson retired in 2013, was expected to be a straightforward win for the GOP. Fischer’s victory, though hard-won, ultimately maintained the Republican grip on the state.
