Dan Osborn
Dan Osborn is an industrial mechanic, union leader, and U.S. Navy veteran from Omaha, Nebraska, who led the 2021 strike at Kellogg’s Omaha plant. He ran twice for the U.S. Senate as an independent, losing to Deb Fischer in 2024 and to Pete RickettsPete RickettsPete Ricketts is an American Republican politician and former President and Chief Operating Officer of Ameritrade who served as Governor of Nebraska from 2015 to 2023 and has represented Nebraska in the U.S. Senate since 2023. On November 3, 2026, he won re-election to the Senate, defeating independent Dan Osborn.Open the full entry on November 3, 2026.
Contents10 sections
Key facts
Early Life, Education, and Military Service
From 2004: Kellogg’s Industrial Mechanic and Union Leader
Osborn has worked as an industrial mechanic at Kellogg’s Omaha plant since 2004 and served as president of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 50G.[1][2]
He helped train a new generation of mechanics and workers so that plants could keep running safely.[3]
2021Kellogg’s Omaha Plant Strike
October 2023First U.S. Senate Campaign
In October 2023, Osborn launched a nonpartisan campaign in Omaha for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Deb Fischer. He said he would not accept corporate PAC money and that large corporations “need to pay their fair share in corporate taxes.”[3]
Announcing his candidacy, he said, “The divisions in this country are threatening our great democratic experiment.”[1]
State voter records show Osborn has been registered as a nonpartisan since at least 2004.[5]
November 2024Loss to Deb Fischer
July 2025Campaign Against Pete Ricketts
Osborn formed an exploratory committee in April 2025 and in July formally launched a campaign for the U.S. Senate against Republican Senator Pete Ricketts. He said he chose the Senate race over a run for governor or the U.S. House because for working people “there are not enough seats at the table,” and said he would not caucus with either party.[5]
November 3, 2026U.S. Senate Election
Osborn qualified for the general election ballot as an independent by gathering signatures and was listed as a nonpartisan candidate; the Nebraska Democratic Party endorsed him.[4][2]
In the November 3, 2026 general election, the Associated Press declared at 3:27 a.m. EST on November 4 that Ricketts had won re-election, defeating Osborn.[7]
Policy Positions
Osborn has said he favors lower taxes for small businesses and the middle class and opposes long-running U.S. military involvement abroad: “I’m sick and tired of our hard-earned tax dollars funding never-ending foreign wars.”[4]
He has also said, “I’m unapologetically for the workers and their issues.”[5]
Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts
Osborn for Senate: Official website: https://osbornforsenate.com/ (opens in a new window).[8]
X: Public account: https://x.com/OsbornForNE (opens in a new window).[8]
Sources
- Omaha steamfitter/union leader Dan Osborn to challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (opens in a new window)
- Four candidates are running in the general election for the U.S. Senate in Nebraska, including two who previously ran in 2024 (opens in a new window)
- Union leader Dan Osborn kicks off nonpartisan U.S. Senate bid in Omaha (opens in a new window)
- Ricketts faces multiple challengers in U.S. Senate race (opens in a new window)
- Nebraska’s Dan Osborn picks a race, launches Senate bid against U.S. Sen Pete Ricketts (opens in a new window)
- Ricketts easily wins Nebraska U.S. Senate primary (opens in a new window)
- Republican Pete Ricketts wins reelection to US Senate over independent challenger in Nebraska (opens in a new window)
- Dan Osborn | Independent for U.S. Senate (opens in a new window)