U.S. Senate incumbents Fischer, Ricketts easily advance

Nebraska voters this fall will see a rare pairing of both U.S. Senate seats on their ballots. In the senior race (top row), U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., is likely to face nonpartisan Dan Osborn. For the junior seat, U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., lower right, will face Preston Love Jr., a Democrat. (Photos courtesy of the candidates; Capitol photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

OMAHA — Republican primary voters in Nebraska on Tuesday brushed aside months of populist pushback against elected officials and advanced both incumbent U.S. senators to the general election. 

As expected, two-term U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., outpaced perennial candidate Arron Kowalski, a central Nebraska farmer, in the GOP primary. Fischer, whose family owns a ranch near Valentine, was leading preliminary results 80%-20% by 12:40 a.m. Wednesday.

She said she looked forward to her race this fall. Her likely opponent, Dan Osborn, a nonpartisan former Omaha union leader, has said he collected enough signatures to get his nonpartisan bid on the ballot. His campaign plans to turn in signatures this summer.

Fischer has said she wants a third term to keep building the seniority that the Senate demands for leadership positions. She has focused much of her time in Washington, D.C., on national defense, agricultural policy and infrastructure needs.

“I’ve always said Nebraskans know who I am and they trust me,” Fischer said. “I’m just thankful for this overwhelming vote of trust and confidence. I plan to continue to work hard for Nebraskans.”

Osborn has said it’s time to have a working person in Washington, someone less beholden to special interests and the big-dollar donors that dominate national politics. His campaign is unofficially a trial balloon for running without a major party’s backing.

“The state party (GOP) didn’t get behind her, but it sounds like the voters did,” said Osborn. “I’d say I’m not surprised. … She’s kind of a household name and has been for 12 years now.”

The Nebraska Democratic Party has said it is considering endorsing Osborn’s candidacy. Party leadership is set to vote on the matter May 18, Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb said. Fischer has called Osborn “a Democrat in sheep’s clothing.” 

Turnout statewide was unofficially 27%. The Secretary of State’s Office had predicted 35%.

Ricketts wins primary

Sen. Pete Ricketts won the GOP nod to finish the last two years of former Sen. Ben Sasse’s term. Gov. Jim Pillen appointed Ricketts to the Senate in early 2023, after Sasse vacated the seat to become president of the University of Florida. 

On Tuesday, Ricketts led Omaha resident John Glen Weaver 79%-15% as of 12:40 a.m. Republican Mac Stevens of Bushnell secured about 6% of the vote.

“I think what this shows is our incumbents in the federal delegation are doing a great job representing Nebraskans,” Ricketts said. “And that Nebraskans are rewarding by sending them to D.C.”

Ricketts next faces Democrat Preston Love Jr. of Omaha, a civil rights and neighborhood advocate who served as manager of Jesse Jackson’s barrier-breaking presidential campaign in 1984. Love ran for the Senate in 2020 as a write-in candidate. 

Ricketts had no immediate comment about his opponent.

Love has said Nebraskans deserve a better choice, a candidate who respects a woman’s right to choose and someone who will fight for all Nebraskans, not just Republicans. He has argued that Ricketts is too removed from the struggles people face.

Love said that he has traveled the state, visiting 20 cities, and that many people don’t feel things are working in Washington. 

“One-party rule is a big part of it,” Love said. “That one-party rule just does not work, frankly, for either party. It just is not the way in which so many Nebraskans get the most out of their government.”

Love also hopes to motivate turnout in North Omaha and help State Sen. Tony Vargas beat U.S. Rep. Don Bacon in the 2nd District.

In Weaver, Ricketts faced a former Air Force lieutenant colonel who embraced the same strain of GOP populism that helped a group of partisans take over leadership of the Nebraska Republican Party from a group loyal to Ricketts.

GOP needs to come together

The State GOP endorsed none of Nebraska’s five all-Republican congressional delegation. And no members of the delegation sought the party’s endorsement.

Ricketts said the Republicans he speaks with across Nebraska are more worried about the rising cost of living, inflationary pressures and paying for gas and groceries than they are about any disagreement between factions of Republicans.

Weaver, who was endorsed by the State GOP and about 20 county GOPs, said he knew he was facing an uphill, underfunded battle against “the Ricketts political machine.” He has said Ricketts and other large donors took the party from the grassroots.

“I’m getting a lot of support within my echo chamber,” Weaver said. “I don’t know how party endorsements translate to votes. I thought 15 months driving around the state, plugging in at the county parties was my best avenue, given the funds that I had.”

One point of Weaver’s campaign was to show Ricketts that there are limits to how far conservatives in the party’s base were willing to be pushed. He and others have argued Ricketts is not supportive enough of former President Donald Trump.

Ricketts endorsed Trump in March, after it became clear that Trump would be the party’s 2024 presidential nominee. Ricketts spent much of his last months as governor criticizing the immigration and spending policies of the Biden administration.

On Tuesday night in Omaha, Ricketts said he would focus his fall campaign on connecting with voters. He said he and other Republicans welcome a spirited primary fight.

“As Republicans, we believe in competition,” Ricketts said. “We’re always willing to be competitive in a primary. But after the primary, we as Republicans unite to beat the Democrats.”

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