Democrats rally behind a bait-and-switch ploy to boost Nebraska independent bid
Democrats in Nebraska are using a tactical approach in the state’s partisan congressional primary to strengthen Dan Osborn’s bid to challenge Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts in November. Nebraska voters can participate in the congressional primary of their choosing even if they’re unaffiliated,but Democrats are trying to prevent a competing Democratic candidate from appearing on the general election ballot.
The party has effectively encouraged voters to support a “placeholder” nominee, Cindy Burbank, who has pledged to drop out if she wins the nomination-clearing the way for Osborn, who is backed by the state Democratic Party. Democrats argue Osborn is their best chance to seriously contend in a state that President Donald Trump carried in 2024. They also see this strategy as a way to avoid splitting the ticket and reducing Osborn’s chances against Ricketts.
The strategy has faced complications inside the Democratic primary, including the candidacy of William Forbes, a pastor who has supported Republicans in the past and has been accused of acting like a spoiler. Forbes and Osborn both deny they are planted candidates.
Democrats’ placeholder plan for Burbank encountered a legal hurdle when Nebraska’s Secretary of State removed her from the ballot, citing a lack of “good faith” tied to her pledge to step aside. The Nebraska Supreme Court later reinstated her after ruling that the ballot-access challenge arrived too late. Republicans counter that Osborn is effectively aligned with Democrats rather than truly independent,pointing to campaign support and ideological alignment.
Democrats in Nebraska are embracing an unusual election strategy aimed at boosting independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn by encouraging voters to back a placeholder candidate in the primary who has pledged to step aside, in hopes of clearing the field for a one-on-one general election matchup against Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE).
Nebraska voters head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the state’s primary elections, which are partisan, but allow an unaffiliated voter to vote in the congressional primary of their choice.
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But voters who cast their ballot for Democrat Cindy Burbank shouldn’t expect to see her vying for the office heading into November.
Burbank, a 62-year-old pharmacy technician, has pledged to drop out of the race if she wins the nomination in order to pave the way for Osborn, who is backed by the state Democratic Party. The move effectively prevents a traditional Democrat from appearing on the general election ballot who would pose a real threat to Osborn.
The strategy reflects Democrats’ belief that Osborn, a former labor union leader who came within roughly 7 percentage points of defeating Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) in 2024, offers the party its strongest chance to compete in a state President Donald Trump carried comfortably.
The goal is to give a Democrat-aligned candidate the best chance of beating Ricketts by avoiding ticket splitting.
Another player in an increasingly bitter Democratic primary that has drawn scrutiny is 79-year-old pastor William Forbes, who has a history of supporting Republicans but filed to run as a Democrat.
Forbes has said he voted for Trump and previously attended Republican campaign training. His candidacy alarmed Democratic leaders, who accused him of functioning as a spoiler candidate that could force a Democrat onto the November ballot, foiling the bait-and-switch ploy at play.
At the same time, Republicans argue that Osborn is not really an independent candidate, but rather a secret Democrat due to campaign contributions he received from national Democrats and how his beliefs align with those of the party.
Both Forbes and Osborn have denied being plants in the primary election.
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Democrats’ strategy to boost Burbank to pave the way for Osborn faced a legal setback when Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen removed Burbank from the ballot, arguing that she was not running “in good faith” because of her public pledge to step aside. But the Nebraska Supreme Court later reinstated her candidacy, ruling that challenges to ballot access had been filed too late.
Ricketts, a former Nebraska governor who entered the Senate in 2023 after being appointed to replace GOP Sen. Ben Sasse and later won a special election, is seeking a full six-year term. While Nebraska remains a reliably Republican state, Democrats believe Osborn could again make the race unexpectedly competitive if he avoids facing a Democratic challenger in November.
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