Pete Ricketts has clinched the Republican nomination in Nebraska and is positioned to seek a full six-year Senate term this fall, setting up a heated general election with independent Dan Osborn and a one-off Democratic nominee. This piece lays out the victory, the looming general election matchup, fundraising warnings about out-of-state money, the Democratic primary drama, and Ricketts’ background and political standing heading into the midterms.
Republican voters in Nebraska picked Pete Ricketts as their nominee, moving him a big step closer to serving a full Senate term. Ricketts had been appointed in 2023 to replace Ben Sasse and then won a 2024 special election to finish Sasse’s final two years, so this contest is about solidifying his position for a full six-year stretch.
The November matchup is expected to attract attention beyond Nebraska because independent Dan Osborn, an industrial mechanic and military veteran, has proven he can make this state competitive. Osborn gave Republican Sen. Deb Fischer a scare in 2024, and his independent run promises a tight general election where turnout and messaging will decide the outcome.
Ricketts framed the general election as a fight to keep Nebraska elections rooted in local voters, warning about money flowing in from outside the state. “Out-of-state liberal donors are going to pour millions into Nebraska this fall. Chip in now and send them a message: Nebraska elections won’t be bought by liberals in California.” His pitch is aimed at mobilizing the party base and deterring outside influence.
After the primary, Ricketts posted a short victory message online and kept the tone pointed toward the work ahead. “Thank you, Nebraska! I’m honored to be your Republican nominee,” he wrote. “Our work is far from over.” Those lines position him as grateful but focused on the tough campaign still to come.
The Democratic side of the ballot saw last-minute filings that created a bit of controversy inside the state party. Community college instructor Cindy Burbank and pastor Bill Forbes both surfaced as candidates, and Burbank ultimately won the Democratic nod by a wide margin in the primary.
Some Democrats in Nebraska questioned Forbes’ late entry and suggested he might have been a spoiler intended to siphon enough votes to help Ricketts in the general election, an allegation Forbes denied. Burbank, for her part, has said she got into the race to make sure a Democrat would appear on the November ballot and to prevent any strategic maneuvering from deciding the outcome for them.
Ricketts brings deep state ties and name recognition into this race, having been Nebraska’s governor after winning in 2014 and again in 2018. He comes from a prominent family as the eldest son of TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts and is part owner, along with family members, of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs, facts that help explain his fundraising network and profile.
Political handicappers currently see Nebraska’s Senate contest as likely to remain in Republican hands, but the race won’t be a simple formality. With the GOP holding a narrow majority in the Senate at 53-47, national control of the chamber is a clear stake, and both parties will watch money and turnout closely as the midterms approach.
