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Former U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn speaks to University of Nebraska-Lincoln students at the UNL City Union on Election Day.
The former labor leader and registered nonpartisan launched a political action committee Tuesday focused on working class issues and candidates. The move follows his closer-than-expected bid to unseat GOP Sen. Deb Fischer.
After his unsuccessful bid to unseat Republican U.S. Sen.
Deb Fischer drew national attention and tens of millions of dollars to Nebraska, Dan Osborn is returning to work as a steamfitter in the Omaha area. But the registered nonpartisan whose populist message made a surprising battleground out of a deeply conservative state is not leaving the political arena altogether as he heads back to work. Osborn, a 46-year-old U.
S. Navy veteran and former labor leader who ran a closer-than-expected race against Fischer in a state where President-elect Donald Trump won nearly 60% of the vote this month, launched a political action committee Tuesday called the Working Class Heroes Fund. People are also reading.
.. The PAC, which Osborn will lead even as he returns to his job as a steamfitter, will focus on mobilizing working people across party lines "to give the working class a seat at the table," his campaign announced Tuesday.
The Working Class Heroes Fund will organize working-class voters in support of working-class issues and candidates, particularly military veterans, to fight for policies that "strengthen working class jobs and families." The PAC will also support labor unions and strike funds, Osborn's campaign announced. "Our campaign showed that candidates who are actually from the working class can unite the working class to change our politics," Osborn said in a social media post Tuesday announcing the fund.
"We need a hell of a lot more working class people running for office." Though Osborn fell short of unseating Fischer this month , his focus on his blue-collar background and labor roots drew conservative voters that helped Osborn outperform every Democrat on Nebraska's ballot. In a state where Trump triumphed over Vice President Kamala Harris by a 20-point margin and where Republican Sen.
Pete Ricketts beat Democratic challenger Preston Love Jr. by more than 25 points, Fischer claimed reelection over Osborn with 53.4% of the vote, winning by fewer than 7%.
In Nebraska's 1st Congressional District, where Trump beat Harris with 55.8% of the vote compared to the vice president's 42.8%, Osborn beat Fischer by 0.
8%. The 1st District hasn't sent a non-Republican to Congress since the 1960s. Osborn's independence from either party afforded him a unique advantage as he was able to pull in donations from progressive groups from around the country while broadcasting television ads meant to appeal to Trump voters.
In one such ad, Trump voters backing Osborn called Fischer "another creature of the D.C. swamp" who has “more in common with Hillary Clinton than Donald Trump.
" But Osborn's overperformance was also a testament to his identity as a working-class Nebraskan, which doubled as the thesis of his campaign. A former industrial mechanic and union president who led a 77-day strike at the Kellogg's cereal plant in Omaha in 2021, Osborn cast himself as "a voice for the working class people" and repeatedly cast Congress as a "country club of millionaires that work for billionaires." He championed Washington reforms, pledged to limit himself to two terms in the Senate and identified his top policy priority as establishing the "right to repair," which would undercut lifetime contracts with manufacturers that lock owners of equipment, cars and technology into exclusive maintenance service agreements.
“We’ve shown that there is a path to unite the working class across lines of party to change our politics," Osborn said in a statement Tuesday. "The Working Class Heroes Fund is going to support the plumbers, carpenters, truckers, railroaders, nurses, teachers, and other regular people who want to run for office.” The launch of the PAC indicates Osborn's political career in Nebraska may not be over.
He hasn't announced plans to seek political office again, but following the Omaha mayor's race next year, the 2026 midterms will bring a new round of federal and statewide races. Republican Gov. Jim Pillen and GOP Sen.
Pete Ricketts will both face voters again in 2026 if they each decide to seek their reelection. Ricketts beat Love in a special election this month to finish out the remaining two years of former Sen. Ben Sasse's term.
GOP Rep. Don Bacon, who triumphed over Democratic challenger Tony Vargas for the second straight election cycle this month even as the Omaha-area 2nd Congressional District backed Harris over Trump, will also face reelection in 2026. Company to build biogas facility; man arrested in cold-case killing; Rhule reacts to no-call.
Top Journal Star photos for November 2024 Second-time mother giraffe Allie nuzzles her new calf in the giraffe experience enclosure on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at the Lincoln Children's Zoo. Nebraska celebrates during the first set of the match against Minnesota on Thursday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Iris Gonnerman, 8 (from right), her brother Oliver, 6, and cousin Noreen Milana, 9, wave flags while watching Veterans Parade outside the state Capitol on Sunday. Nebraska's Connor Essegian scores against Bethune-Cookma on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Covered by a canopy of changing leaves, a car cruises along A street in a neighborhood north of Downtown Lincoln on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Mild temperatures continue into the mid weeks of November.
Wednesday calls for a chance of rain showers before noon with gusty winds. Most days this week are expected to be accompanied by mostly sunny skies and consistent breezes. Norris' Anna Jelinek (left) lifts the the Class B championship trophy alongside Rya Borer on Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Lincoln Lutheran players embrace one another as threy celebrate defeating Thayer Central in four sets to win the Class C-2 championship match Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center. Superior players celebrate their three set win over EMF during the Class D-1 championship match Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center. Reflected in a ceiling beam, Leyton takes on Shelton in the first set of the Class D-2 championship match Saturday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Omaha Skutt's Nicole Ott (left) and Addison West react after a point in the second set during a Class B semifinal match Friday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Hasan Khalil, owner of Golden Scissors, trims the beard of Vitaliy Martynyuk on Friday at his barbershop in Lincoln. Southwest fans Kylea Stritt (from left), Peg Rice, and Stacey Wilson cheer on their team as the "horsemen" during a Class D-1 first-round match Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Millard West players dogpile on the floor after defeating Lincoln Southwest in five set match during a Class A first-round match Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Lincoln Southwest's Shelby Harding dives to save the ball from hitting the ground in the first set during a Class A first-round match Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Second graders Eli Gonzalez (left) and Shrutoshome Datta look at drawings that first and second grade students made at the Monster Jam Art Show on Wednesday at Elliott Elementary School.
The elementary school students made drawings of monsters to be turned into different types of art by Lincoln High School students. Norris players celebrate a point against Lincoln Pius X in a Class B state volleyball tournament match, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
U.S. Sen.
Deb Fischer (right) talks with supporters, including Darlene Starman of Lincoln, at her campaign office on Tuesday in Lincoln. A cutout of Jesus watches over voters on Tuesday at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lincoln. Abigail Webb votes on Tuesday at F Street Community Center.
Nebraska's Rollie Worster (24) shoots a layup while defended by Texas Rio Grande Valley's Marshal Destremau (left) and Trey Miller (right) during the first half of the game on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Allison Weidner (left) autographs a poster for Freeman Public Schools student Godwil Muthiani, 12 (center), after the game against UNO on Monday, Nov.
4, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Muthiani's sign says, "#3 Allison Weinder is the GOAT! Sorry I'm only 12." Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule speaks to an official after a targeting call on Nebraska during the first quarter of the game against UCLA on Saturday, Nov.
2, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. The call was overturned after review. Nebraska's Dante Dowdell scores against UCLA in the fourth quarter on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Cadet Elena Burgwald (left) and Cadet Mason Beck look up as a B-1B Lancer flies over Memorial Stadium before the UCLA game against Nebraska on Saturday. UCLA's K.J.
Wallace (7) defends Nebraska's Jacory Barney (17) as he makes a diving 40-yard catch in the second quarter on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Lincoln Southeast quarterback Tre Bollen (left) and Tate Sandman react after losing a Class A football playoff game against Millard North on Friday, Nov.
1, 2024, at Seacrest Field. Millard North won 10-3. After the field clears, Norris' Jarrett Behrends (17) kicks his helmet after the Titans fell to Waverly 16-17 in a Class B football playoff game on Friday, Nov.
1, 2024, at Waverly High School. A line of people waiting to vote has been normal at the Lancaster County Election Commission Office at 601 N. 46th St.
, as it was Friday afternoon. The office will be open 7 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Monday to allow voters to cast an early ballot.
If they wait until Election Day, they will need to go to their precinct or drop off their ballots at one of five drop boxes across the city. For more stories about about Tuesday's election, go to Journalstar.com .
Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or [email protected] . On Twitter @andrewwegley Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
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