What Changed

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MIDTERMS 2026 - SENATE

Nebraska

LEAN R R-held - No Democrat on the ballot; independent Dan Osborn is the challenger

CALLED: Republican wins

INDEPENDENT

Dan Osborn

Former labor union leader running as a nonpartisan; lost the 2024 Senate race to Deb Fischer by 7 points. source

REPUBLICAN - INCUMBENT

Pete Ricketts

Governor of Nebraska 2015-2023, appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2023; seeking his first full term. source

Where they differ

Only issues they disagree on. Each position is something the candidate said, voted for or published, linked to where.

Tariffs

OSBORN

Says Trump's blanket tariffs work as a tax and raise prices; wants tariff power returned to Congress. source

RICKETTS

Defends the Trump administration's tariffs as leveling the playing field; wants to keep using them for agriculture. source

Medicaid and the 2025 tax law

OSBORN

Says he would not have let the 2025 law "strip a trillion dollars away from Medicaid." source

RICKETTS

Rejects the claim Medicaid was defunded; defends the law's new work requirements. source

Taxes

OSBORN

Calls the 2025 law's tips and overtime breaks temporary and limited while tax cuts for the wealthy are permanent. source

RICKETTS

Supports the 2025 law, saying it prevented a $2,400 tax increase on Nebraskans. source

War with Iran

OSBORN

Says "only Congress can declare war"; says Trump promised no new foreign wars. source

RICKETTS

Backs continued pressure on Iran; says Osborn would side with Democrats on limiting Trump's authority. source

Abortion

OSBORN

Personally pro-life, but says government should not make health decisions for people. source

RICKETTS

Gave $500,000 in 2024 to a petition to put a 12-week abortion ban in the state constitution. source

Congressional stock trading

OSBORN

Wants a full ban on buying and selling, divestment, and jail for violators; backs the HONEST Act (S.1498). source

RICKETTS

His bill bans new stock purchases but allows sales with 7-14 days' notice and keeps existing holdings. source

The money

Each campaign's own filings with the Federal Election Commission, for the whole 2026 cycle. Reports are filed on different days, so check the date under each name.

RAISED

Osborn $9.8M

Ricketts $14.5M

SPENT

Osborn $7.7M

Ricketts $13.8M

CASH LEFT

Osborn $2.2M

Ricketts $1.2M

Osborn: through 2026-10-14; Ricketts: through 2026-10-14. Source: FEC, read 2026-10-23.

Outside groups

Money super PACs, parties and other groups reported spending on their own to help or hurt each candidate.

Dan Osborn

to help $71K

to hurt $110K

Pete Ricketts

to help $784K

to hurt $431

Independent expenditures reported to the FEC for the 2026 cycle, primary included. Groups that do not have to report (some issue ads) are not counted.

Latest polling

A YouGov poll of likely voters published Oct. 6 had Osborn at 48% and Ricketts at 47% (margin of error 3.3 points). source

Nebraska right now

How the state is doing going into the vote, from the people who count it.

JOBLESS RATE

2.9%

US: 4.2%

September 2026, seasonally adjusted, preliminary. Source: BLS

GAS, REGULAR

$4.31

US: $4.27

State average on 2026-10-27. Source: AAA

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Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Dan Osborn by Ramseywill, CC BY 4.0; Pete Ricketts by United States Congress, Public domain.

Positions checked 2026-10-23. Things they agree on are left out on purpose. Spot something wrong? Use the feedback button and we will fix it.