Dan Osborn
Dan Osborn is an industrial mechanic and union leader from Omaha running as an independent (ballot line "Nonpartisan") for the second consecutive Senate cycle, after losing to Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024. His campaign centers on congressional ethics reform, consumer-protection and antitrust measures, and opposition to cuts in Social Security and Medicare.[4][5]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Positions on the issues
- SupportsRaise taxes on high earners or corporations
Supports raising or eliminating the income cap on Social Security payroll taxes so high earners pay the same rate as other workers.[5]
“Right now, millionaires and billionaires stop paying into Social Security after their first $176,100 in income... Raising or eliminating that cap so the wealthy pay the same rate as everyone else would extend Social Security's solvency for decades without cutting a single benefit for a single retiree.”
- MixedStricter gun laws
Says he supports the Second Amendment right to bear arms while also backing gun-safety education in schools.[5]
“I am fundamentally in favor of the Second Amendment. While I support reasonable safety measures, including gun safety education in our schools, law-abiding citizens have, and must always have, the right to bear arms.”
- SupportsProtect legal access to abortion
Says he is personally pro-life but that abortion and other medical decisions should remain between a patient and their doctor, not the government.[5]
“I am personally pro-life, but believe the government should not be making health decisions for people. It is important that people have the right to make their own choices in consultations with their doctors.”
- OpposesBroad tariffs on imported goods
Opposes broad, across-the-board tariffs, saying he supports only narrow, targeted tariffs.[5]
“Blanket tariffs raise everyday costs for small businesses and families like mine... I support a smart, America-first tariff policy. Targeted. Strategic.”
- SupportsExpand public health coverage
Supports letting Medicaid negotiate drug prices directly with manufacturers, as the VA does, and opposes Medicaid cuts affecting rural hospitals.[5]
“I support giving Medicaid the full authority to negotiate drug prices directly with manufacturers, the same way the VA does, the same way every other wealthy country does.”
In their words — priorities
- Anti-corruption reform: overturning Citizens United, banning congressional stock trading, closing the lobbying "revolving door," and enacting term and age limits for Congress and the courts.[5]
- Protecting paychecks, Social Security and healthcare, including opposing benefit cuts and raising the Social Security payroll-tax cap on high earners.[5]
- Cutting government waste and fraud and balancing the federal budget without cutting Social Security or Medicare benefits.[5]
- Consumer-protection measures such as click-to-cancel subscription rules, reining in credit-card swipe fees, and right-to-repair laws.[5]
Background
- Lives in Omaha, Nebraska; worked as an industrial mechanic, including at a Kellogg's plant.[4]
- Served as president of a local chapter of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union.[1][4]
- Served in the U.S. Navy and the Nebraska Army National Guard.[4]
- Ran for U.S. Senate in 2024 as an independent, losing to incumbent Sen. Deb Fischer (R) 53.2% to 46.5%.[1]
Campaign money
Raised $5.8M · spent $3.4M · $2.4M cash on hand (through 2026-06-30) FEC filing ↗