U.S. Senate in Nebraska
U.S. Senate · Nebraska
Pete Ricketts won re-election by 6.2 points over Dan Osborn.
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State unofficial resultsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 1:22 PM ET
Where the race moved
Against the 2024 presidential vote
Every county, 2024 to 2026
Each dot is a county, sized by votes cast and colored by who carried it in 2026. Dots above the line moved toward Osborn compared with the 2024 presidential vote; 93 of 93 did. The largest shift among the bigger counties: Colfax, +23.8 points.
Source: civicAPI county results (unofficial); 2024 president: MEDSL precinct returnsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 1:34 PM ET
The seat's recent races
Source: Past results: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
By county
Show 85 more
Bar: share of the state's vote. Shift: change in margin from the 2024 presidential vote, + toward Democrats.
Source: civicAPI county results (unofficial); 2024 president: MEDSL precinct returnsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 1:34 PM ET
Money in this race
Each line compares the two sides on one scale: their campaigns, and outside groups spending for them or against their opponent.
Top funders
Outside groups and direct contributors, ranked by what they put in; the color shows which candidate it helps.
| NEBRASKA VALUES PACFor Osborn, against Ricketts | $16.7M | |
| DEFEND AMERICAN JOBSAgainst Osborn | $13.5M | |
| WORKING CLASS MAJORITY PAC, INCFor Osborn, against Ricketts | $12.1M | |
| CORNHUSKER MAJORITYAgainst Osborn | $6.9M | |
| The Edge Action Fund (SuperPAC)For Osborn, against Ricketts | $2.5M | |
| SLF PACAgainst Osborn | $2.1M | |
| Win it Back PACAgainst Osborn | $2.1M | |
| Freedom from PoliticsAgainst Ricketts | $2.1M | |
| Lower Costs NowFor Osborn | $863.8K | |
| Retire Career PoliticiansAgainst Ricketts | $701.8K | |
| FELLOWSHIP PACFor Ricketts | $350K | |
| DEFENDING OUR VALUES PACFor Ricketts | $262.6K | |
| AMERICA FIRST ACTION FUNDFor Ricketts | $200K |
Show 5 more
Campaign money: FEC, through Oct 14, 2026. Outside spending: independent expenditures by super PACs, parties and other groups, primary and general, as reported to the FEC through Nov 1, 2026, updated Nov 3, 2026. It leaves out spending not reported as independent expenditures (most issue ads and much dark money), so it understates all outside money. The FEC lists only each candidate's largest spenders; totals count every spender.
Source: FEC campaign filings; FEC independent expendituresUpdated Nov 3, 2026, 1:05 AM ET
Polls against the result
The final average had Ricketts ahead by 1.7. Ricketts won by 6.2: a 4.5-point miss toward Democrats.
- Poll with Osborn ahead
- Poll with Ricketts ahead
- Final polling average
- Result
| Pollster | Dates | Sample | Osborn | Ricketts | Margin | Adjusted | Miss vs result | Grade | Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GrayHouse | Oct 29–Nov 1 | 534 LV | 46 | 50 | R+4 | R+1.3 | +2.2 | — | grayhouse.com ↗ |
| The New York Times/Siena University | Oct 23–Oct 29 | 809 LV | 43.01 | 48.7 | R+5.7 | R+6.7 | +0.5 | A | nytimes.com ↗ |
| National Public Affairs for God, Family, & Country PACR-sponsoredMain question · in average | Oct 25–Oct 29 | 800 LV | 48 | 49 | R+1 | D+1.2 | +5.2 | — | backend.natpublicaffairs.com ↗ |
| National Public Affairs for God, Family, & Country PACR-sponsoredfield: Osborn, Marvin, Conboy, Richards, Ricketts | Oct 25–Oct 29 | 800 LV | 45 | 48 | R+3 | — | +3.2 | — | backend.natpublicaffairs.com ↗ |
| YouGov | Oct 26–Oct 29 | 1,974 LV | 49 | 49 | Even | R+0.7 | +6.2 | B | d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net ↗ |
| Echelon Insights for NetChoice | Oct 16–Oct 23 | 407 LV | 46 | 47 | R+1 | R+0.4 | +5.2 | A | netchoice.org ↗ |
| GBAO for Working Class Majority PAC | Oct 18–Oct 22 | 800 LV | 46 | 45 | D+1 | R+0.4 | +7.2 | C | docsend.com ↗ |
| Impact Research for Dan Osborn's campaignD-sponsoredMain question · in average | Oct 14–Oct 20 | 600 LV | 48 | 50 | R+2 | — | +4.2 | C | the-downballot.com ↗ |
| Impact Research for Dan Osborn's campaignD-sponsoredOther version | Oct 14–Oct 20 | 600 LV | 47 | 49 | R+2 | — | +4.2 | C | the-downballot.com ↗ |
| National Public Affairs for God, Family, & Country PACR-sponsoredMain question · in average | Oct 15–Oct 18 | 598 LV | 47 | 50 | R+3 | — | +3.2 | — | backend.natpublicaffairs.com ↗ |
| National Public Affairs for God, Family, & Country PACR-sponsoredfield: Osborn, Marvin, Conboy, Richards, Ricketts | Oct 15–Oct 18 | 598 LV | 43 | 46 | R+3 | — | +3.2 | — | backend.natpublicaffairs.com ↗ |
| Concord Public Opinion Partners for Education Reform Now AdvocacyD-sponsored | Oct 15–Oct 18 | 500 LV | 48 | 41 | D+7 | — | +13.2 | B− | concordpublicopinionpartners.org ↗ |
| National Public Affairs for God, Family, & Country PACR-sponsoredMain question · in average | Oct 2–Oct 5 | 800 LV | 46 | 49 | R+3 | — | +3.2 | — | backend.natpublicaffairs.com ↗ |
| National Public Affairs for God, Family, & Country PACR-sponsoredfield: Osborn, Marvin, Conboy, Richards, Ricketts | Oct 2–Oct 5 | 800 LV | 43 | 46 | R+3 | — | +3.2 | — | backend.natpublicaffairs.com ↗ |
| YouGov | Sep 24–Oct 3 | 1,808 LV | 48 | 47 | D+1 | — | +7.2 | B | d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net ↗ |
| co/efficientMain question · in average | Sep 28–Sep 30 | 1,113 LV | 44 | 47 | R+3 | — | +3.2 | B+ | battlegrounds.coefficient.org ↗ |
| co/efficientfield: Osborn, Marvin, Conboy, Richards, Ricketts | Sep 28–Sep 30 | 1,113 LV | 40 | 44 | R+4 | — | +2.2 | B+ | battlegrounds.coefficient.org ↗ |
| SurveyUSA for Grant Forbes, LLC | Sep 8–Sep 13 | 503 LV | 46 | 42 | D+4 | — | +10.2 | A | results.surveyusa.com ↗ |
| GBAO for Working Class Majority PAC | Sep 3–Sep 8 | 800 LV | 47 | 46 | D+1 | — | +7.2 | C | washingtonsun.com ↗ |
| Impact Research for Dan Osborn's campaignD-sponsored | Aug 9–Aug 13 | 600 LV | 47 | 47 | Even | — | +6.2 | C | omaha.com ↗ |
| GBAO for Working Class Majority PAC | Jul 22–Jul 26 | 800 LV | 47 | 47 | Even | — | +6.2 | C | washingtonsun.com ↗ |
| Tavern Research for Contours Inc. | May 8–May 11 | 1,165 LV | 47 | 42 | D+5 | — | +11.2 | — | tavernresearch.com ↗ |
| GBAO for Working Class Majority PAC | Apr 16–Apr 20 | 800 LV | 46 | 45 | D+1 | — | +7.2 | C | washingtonsun.com ↗ |
| Impact Research for Dan Osborn's campaignD-sponsored | Feb 2–Feb 5 | 600 LV | 47 | 48 | R+1 | — | +5.2 | C | omaha.com ↗ |
Adjusted: after correcting for the pollster's house effect and likely-voter screens. Miss: the poll's margin minus the result; + means the poll leaned Democratic. Grade: the pollster's accuracy in past elections, A+ to D (pollster ratings).
Source: Each poll's release, via The New York Times and Wikipedia poll listsUpdated Nov 1, 2026
Pre-election forecast (final, Nov 3)
Our model's last run before Election Day, Nov 3, 2026. It no longer updates.
- Dan Osborn
- 29%
- Pete Ricketts
- 71%
- Projected margin
- R+3.2
The candidates
Incumbent U.S. senatorDan Osborn (I)
Former president of BCTGM International Union Local 50G and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024
Also on the ballot: Robin Richards (Other party), 2.6%; Mike Marvin (Legal Marijuana Now), 2.2%; Chuck Conboy (Other party), 1.2%
Also on this ballot here
| Governor | R+8.0 |
| Attorney General | R+12.1 |
| Secretary of State | R+13.1 |
| Treasurer | R+16.8 |
Results within this state. Source: Results and race calls: Nebraska Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 7, 2026, 1:22 PM ET