Nebraska Democrat Cindy Burbank defeated anti-abortion pastor Bill Forbes in the state’s Senate primary, giving independent Dan Osborn a clearer path against Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) in November.
Burbank was bolstered by some late spending from the state’s Democratic Party, which is backing Osborn in the Republican-heavy state. She’s expected to drop out of the race following her primary victory Tuesday.
“William Forbes is not running to serve Nebraskans. He is running to trick voters,” Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb said in March. “The Nebraska Democratic Party made a deliberate, principled decision not to field a candidate in the US Senate race.”
Her win helps boost Osborn, who came within seven points of defeating GOP Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024.
And it ends what has been a weird, prolonged battle in the state, which included accusations from Osborn allies that Forbes was only running so he could stay on the ballot and split the Democratic vote in the fall to boost Ricketts. Ricketts has denied any association with Forbes.
Burbank was initially axed from the ballot entirely by the GOP secretary of state because she had no intention to run this fall, but she sued the state in order to get her ballot access restored.
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