Republicans are taking a closer look at the Nebraska Senate race as independent Dan Osborn is shaping up to pose a serious challenge to incumbent Deb Fischer, with the latest poll showing him within striking distance with just over a week to go before the election.
The survey, conducted by The New York Times and Siena College, shows Osborn with 46% of the support, compared to Fischer's 48%. 5% of voters said they are undecided or refused to say who they will vote for.
It is a large difference with Trump's solid lead in the presidential race, where he leads Vice President Kamala Harris by 15 percentage points, 55% to 40%. Harris is leading in the so-called blue dot around Omaha (54% to 42%), potentially getting the single electoral vote in the area, while Trump is set to take the other four congressional districts and their respective votes.
Osborn is an industrial mechanic and Navy veteran who gained national attention after leading a strike at Kellog's cereal plants, helping win higher wages and benefits for employees. He, is emphasizing his status as an independent as he gets closer in the polls. He has not said which party he would side with should he win the election. The bet is seemingly paying off with that sector of the electorate: he leads Fischer by 31 percentage points.
It is Osborn's first run for office. He has expressed frustration with the current state of the political system and rampant polarization. "I'm frustrated with the two parties," the candidate recently told ABC News. "The fighting, the infighting, the outfighting, not getting anything done."
Republicans have been seeking to describe Osborn as a liberal, with one ad run by Fischer campaign saying he is a "Bernie Sanders-type Democrat." Osborn, in turn, said he has been a "registered independent from the time I could vote."
"I need to navigate down the middle because that's what the two party doom loop means," he told the outlet when consulted about potentially casting tie-breaking votes.
And while he said he wouldn't accept party endorsements, many Democrats are seeking to support his candidacy through press releases and mail materials to voters. Fischer, in turn, has been endorsed by Donald Trump, with the former president saying on his social media platform, Truth Social, that "SHE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN." Fischer said she was honored to have Trump's support. Trump also labeled Osborn as "Radical Left."
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