Omaha, Nebraska - Nebraska independent Dan Osborn has announced he is challenging incumbent Republican Pete Ricketts for the US Senate in 2026.

"There's a lot of rich guys in Washington like Pete Ricketts, but not a lot with hands like these," Osborn (50) says in a campaign announcement video as he works on a car.

"We fix their cars, grow their food, fight their wars. Politicians like Senator Pete Ricketts are the problem."

Osborn rose to the national spotlight in 2024, when he ran an independent campaign challenging Republican Senator Deb Fischer. Although he did not win that race, his performance exceeded many people's expectations as he lost by less than seven percentage points.

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The US Navy veteran and industrial mechanic stands for cutting taxes for small businesses and the middle class, protecting Social Security, legalizing cannabis, increasing "border security," and more, according to his campaign website.

Before entering politics, Osborn served as president of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 50G and led a 2021 labor strike at the Kellogg's plant in Omaha.

When it came out Osborn was exploring a second Senate run, Donald Trump was quick to endorse his GOP opponent.

"Pete is one of the strongest Senators in the Country on Border Security, whereas his potential Opponent, Dan Osborn, is a Radical Left Open Border Extremist, who will put our Country, and Safety, LAST," the president said of Ricketts on Truth Social in April. "Pete, on the other hand, will ALWAYS put Nebraska, and America, FIRST."

Ricketts (60) is the son of billionaire TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts. He was governor of Nebraska from 2015 to 2023, before being appointed to the Senate following the resignation of Ben Sasse. He won the 2024 special election to complete Sasse's term.

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"I'm running for Senate because Congress shouldn't just be a playground for the rich," Osborn says in his announcement video, adding, "Congress spends their time bickering about how much we should cut taxes for billionaires and multinational corporations. We're just an afterthought. My kids and yours deserve an American dream too."

"In Nebraska, the little guys need a fair shake too. I think this fight's a big one worth taking on," Osborn insists. "So if you want to fix Washington, send in a mechanic."