Nebraska Senate Candidate Dan Osborne’s Donations Raise Eyebrows
Nebraska state Senate candidate Dan Osborne, who identifies as an “independent,” has stressed his intention not to align with either major party if elected. However, recent filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) suggest otherwise.
Osborne has garnered support from leaders within the Nebraska Democratic Party and has been actively fundraising through ActBlue, the Democratic Party’s primary fundraising platform. Interestingly, he’s also accepted contributions from several notable Democratic figures and political action committees.
His campaign has received donations from Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s team and political action committees associated with former Democratic senators like Bob Kelly and Jon Tester. Additionally, Democracy Summer, a leadership PAC established by Rep. Jamie Raskin, contributed $2,000 to Osborne.
Osborne’s FEC filings indicate continued fundraising support from People United, a super PAC known for backing prominent Democratic figures including members of the “squad” like Jamal Bowman and Ilhan Omar.
On his campaign website, under “My Stand,” Osborne discusses the importance of border security concerning illegal immigration. He claims that as an independent, he is in a unique position to rally support for these issues. The home page of his website conveys a message that suggests there’s more common ground among people than with the partisans in Washington.
However, the situation raises questions, particularly as some of those “partisans” appear to be funding his campaign while he aims for a Senate seat. A spokesperson for Pete Ricketts, the former Nebraska Republican governor and current junior state senator, claimed Osborne’s funding comes from “out-of-state liberal donors on the coast.”
In his previous Senate run in 2024, Osborne nearly unseated Sen. Deb Fischer, drawing close attention and criticism from both Fischer’s and Ricketts’ campaigns. They labeled him as a Democrat in disguise.
An investigation found that during his 2024 campaign, Osborne benefited from significant donations from Democratic senatorial PACs, involving contributions from notable figures such as Sen. Chuck Schumer. In fact, Warren’s campaign added $2,000 to Osborne’s efforts the prior year.
Ricketts pointed out that accepting funds from figures like Warren and Schumer could signal to voters where Osborne’s loyalties lie—suggesting he aligns more closely with progressive Democrats.
Recent donations to Osborne’s campaign from various Democratic sources approached around $15,000 for the quarter, but significant aid came just ahead of his November 2024 race against Fischer. He received nearly $60,000 from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which included an expenditure of $3.85 million from Schumer’s group to support Osborne’s campaign.
The Fight Agency, a consulting group formed by Democratic strategists with ties to Bernie Sanders’ campaign, is managing Osborne’s advertising efforts. They have a history of working with left-leaning candidates and initiatives.
