Senator Pete Ricketts, a Nebraska Republican backed by President Trump, won re-electionon Wednesday, according to The Associated Press, staving off a competitive challenge from an independent candidate with a working-class platform.
Mr. Ricketts’s victory against Dan Osborn, a mechanic and military veteran who ran without party affiliation, confirmed the strength of the Republican Party and the senator’s conservative record in the deep-red state despite the growing discontent with Mr. Trump’s economic policies.
Mr. Ricketts focused his campaign on his reliably conservative record in his years of public service in Nebraska and reiterated his focus on border security and economic support for farmers. He has acknowledged the financial strain that the Iran war has brought to Nebraska families and farmers by raising fuel and fertilizer prices, but he has not opposed the conflict.
Mr. Osborn’s independent status appealed to swing voters, Democrats and Republicans disillusioned with the Trump administration. He was also aided when the Democratic nominee, Cindy Burbank, withdrew from the race, backing Mr. Osborn believing that he would have a better chance of unseating Mr. Ricketts.
But Mr. Ricketts’s deep ties to Nebraska, name recognition as a former governor and Republican allegiance in a red state proved too much for Mr. Osborn to overcome.
Before being appointed to the Senate in 2023, Mr. Ricketts served two terms as governor. Across those roles, he has delivered tax cuts, supported the agriculture industry, pushed business-friendly policies and promoted securing the southern border.
Mr. Ricketts comes from a powerful family in Nebraska politics. His father, Joe Ricketts, is a Republican megadonor and billionaire businessman and founded the brokerage firm TD Ameritrade.
The senator previously worked in executive roles at the firm, and served as a board member of the Chicago Cubs, which he partly owns.
The post Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska Fends Off an Independent Challenger appeared first on New York Times.
