Cindy Burbank won the Democratic Senate primary in Nebraska on Tuesday, a result that could clear the way for independent Dan Osborn to face GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts in the fall if it stands. NBC News projected Burbank as the winner after she defeated pastor William Forbes for the nomination.
The race closed at 9 p.m. ET and shifted quickly once the projection was made, because Nebraska is one of the Senate contests both parties are watching closely this year. Ricketts easily won his Republican primary, leaving the independent lane open only if Burbank’s victory holds and the fall race takes shape as a one-on-one contest between Osborn and the incumbent Republican.
That possibility matters because Nebraska is a battleground state in the Senate fight, and NBC News described Burbank’s win as potentially clearing the way for independent Dan Osborn to take on Pete Ricketts head-to-head in the fall. If that happens, the matchup would add another twist to a race where Democrats are trying to make inroads in a state that remains competitive at the margins.
The same night also left another Nebraska contest unresolved. NBC News said the Democratic primary in the battleground 2nd District was too close to call with 85% of the expected vote in, as state Sen. John Cavanaugh led political organizer Denise Powell 38.3% to 37.5%, with less than 300 votes separating them. The winner there will face Omaha City Council member Brinker Harding, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
That district carries extra weight for Democrats. It is held by retiring GOP Rep. Don Bacon, and Kamala Harris carried the 2nd District in the 2024 election, making it one of the party’s top pick-up targets. For now, though, the clearest result from Tuesday night is Burbank’s victory, and the clearest next question is whether it leaves Osborn with a straight shot at Ricketts in November.
