Two-term Republican Sen. Deb Fischer is defending her Senate seat in a contest that’s grown unexpectedly competitive in Nebraska , a reliably red state, with polls indicating a tight race against independent candidate Dan Osborn in the lead-up to Election Day .
Osborn is a 49-year-old political newcomer, a Navy veteran, mechanic and union leader who led the strike at Omaha’s Kellogg plant in 2021. His campaign received a surge of outside funding that forced Republicans to redouble their efforts in a race that was thought to be an easy win. Osborn billed his challenge against Fischer as offering a change to the status quo, painting his opponent as an establishment politician controlled by corporate interests. He has pledged not to caucus with either Democrats or Republicans in the Senate if elected.
During her time in the Senate, Fischer, 73, has served on the powerful armed services and appropriations committees. She has a background as a cattle rancher and has seen easy victories in two previous contests against Democratic opponents. This cycle, she has described her independent challenger as a “Democrat in disguise” in the final weeks of the campaign, while leaning on an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.