Dan Osborn Surges Ahead of Pete Ricketts in First Quarter Fundraising
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska’s 2026 U.S. Senate race is heating up as nonpartisan candidate Dan Osborn has outraised incumbent Republican Senator Pete Ricketts by roughly $200,000 in the first quarter of the year.
Osborn’s campaign reported raising $1.2 million from January through March, compared to Ricketts’ $1 million in direct contributions. Yet despite Osborn’s Q1 edge, Ricketts maintains a substantial lead overall with $4.2 million raised for this cycle to Osborn’s $2.3 million and total cash on hand of $1.6 million versus Osborn’s $939,146.
Massive Support from PACs Bolsters Ricketts
Ricketts’ fundraising advantage grows with six-figure backing through his network of PACs and joint committees, especially the Ricketts Victory Committee, which raised $895,856 this quarter alone. Funds have been cycled into Ricketts’ official campaign and his American Excellence PAC, which raised another $190,596.
These organizations also funnel resources to other conservative candidates and national Republican groups, amplifying Ricketts’ influence well beyond Nebraska.
Osborn Builds Grassroots Momentum with Workers and Unions
Osborn, a former Omaha labor leader running on a working-class populism platform, pulls substantial small donations from out-of-state supporters in California and New York, while still receiving top individual donations locally. His PAC support leans heavily on unions, notably a $5,000 contribution from the American Postal Workers Union Committee.
Campaign manager John Dolan emphasizes Osborn’s surge as a sign of growing grassroots energy, claiming they now have “the resources necessary to win in November.” He criticized Ricketts as a “do-nothing politician” and touted Osborn as “the only way to fix Washington.”
Campaign Spending and Controversies Surface
Both campaigns invested heavily in political consulting and digital ads this quarter. Osborn spent $10,000 on fundraising consulting and $17,500 on digital ads, while Ricketts paid $39,000 for political consulting and nearly $14,000 on direct mail.
However, Osborn’s campaign is under scrutiny for paying salaries to himself, his wife Megan, and extended family members during the campaign, drawing criticism and formal Federal Election Commission complaints. His campaign insists these are “baseless” and legal payments. This quarter, Osborn’s campaign paid him $2,479 and his wife $15,879.
Ricketts’ campaign spokesperson Will Coup claimed these payments raise “continued questions” about Osborn’s fundraising practices, though legally family payments are allowed but politically risky.
Race Poised for Key May 12 Primary
With Nebraska’s early voting underway, the Republican primary on May 12 will likely determine Ricketts’ main challenger for the general election on November 3. Four other Republican candidates have not yet filed fundraising reports, leaving Ricketts as the dominant GOP figure for now.
Meanwhile, Osborn is still gathering signatures to secure ballot access and monitoring the Democratic primary’s outcome, hoping it narrows the field to give him a clearer path in November.
Pete Ricketts: “I am proud Nebraska remains the top-contributing state. This campaign is powered by Nebraskans, for Nebraskans.”
As the race accelerates, both fundraising and grassroots momentum will prove critical in this tightly watched Senate contest that could shift Nebraska’s political landscape — a key national battleground with implications for Montana and broader US politics heading into 2026.
