The rating
Likely Republican
Rated Likely Republican by Cook Political Report on Oct 20, 2026.
| Forecaster | Rating | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Cook Political Report (opens in a new tab) | Likely R | Oct 20, 2026 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean R | Latest |
Who is running
Pete Ricketts
Republican Incumbent
Dan Osborn
Independent Challenger
The facts
- Osborn lost to Sen. Deb Fischer by 6.7 points in 2024.
- The Nebraska Democratic Party endorsed Osborn in August 2026, and the Democratic nominee withdrew July 17.
Opinion
Why this race matters to conservatives
Cook rates Nebraska Likely Republican and Sabato rates it Leans Republican. That is closer than usual for the state.
This box is the opinion of RightNewsRightNow. The rest of this page is reporting, with sources listed below.
Where these facts come from
- Cook Political ReportCurrent rating, as of Oct 20, 2026Read it (opens in a new tab)
- Wikipedia (election pages, with their cited sources)Candidate and race factsRead it (opens in a new tab)