Nebraska Independent Candidates Shape Governor and Senate Races

Former state senator Brett Lindstrom has filed paperwork to gather signatures and appear on the November ballot as an independent candidate for Nebraska governor. Lindstrom, a fiscal‑conservative, pro‑life, pro‑business former Republican who withdrew from a congressional race, is positioning himself outside the GOP primary system.

In the concurrent U.S. Senate contest, Democrat Dan Osborn is running as an independent challenger to incumbent Republican Pete Ricketts. Campaign disclosures show Osborn receiving substantial funding from groups linked to the Democratic Party and the Sixteen Thirty Fund, prompting allegations that the state Democratic Party is covertly backing an “independent” candidate to split the Republican vote. Additional maneuvering involved the brief filing and withdrawal of Democrat Cindy Burbank and the unexpected entry of pastor William Forbes, further complicating the race.