2024 United States Senate election in Nebraska


The 2024 United States Senate election in Nebraska was held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Nebraska. Republican incumbent Deb Fischer was re-elected to a third term, defeating independent union leader Dan Osborn. This was the first time since 1954 when both of Nebraska's U.S. Senate seats were concurrently up for election due to a special election for Nebraska's other Senate seat.
Traditionally a safe Republican seat, the race in Nebraska was described as unusually competitive and was also potentially important for determining partisan control of the Senate after the 2024 election cycle.
Despite her win, Fischer's overall performance was the worst an incumbent Republican performed in a Nebraska Senate race since 1970. Osborn's performance was the best for an independent candidate in a Nebraska Senate race, even outperforming George W. Norris, who won as an independent in 1936 in a three way race. His performance was also the best for any challenger in a Republican-held seat in the 2024 election cycle. Osborn won four counties, of which in the concurrent presidential race two voted for Donald Trump and two voted for Kamala Harris, and Fischer won all other 89 counties.

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Deb Fischer, incumbent U.S. senator
  • Arron Kowalski, cattle farmer and perennial candidate

    Fundraising

Results

Democratic primary

Due to Dan Osborn's independent candidacy, the Nebraska Democratic Party had originally not intended to field a candidate, planning to endorse Osborn on May 18. However, on May 15, Osborn stated that he would not accept the help of any political party. This led to a condemnation by state party chair Jane Kleeb, who said that Osborn had previously promised to work with them in exchange for them not running a candidate. Due to Osborn's announcement taking place the day after the state's primary, Kleeb announced that they would be looking for a write-in candidate to run under the party banner in November. However, they ultimately decided not to run a write-in candidate.

Independent

Declared

Legal Marijuana NOW primary

The Legal Marijuana NOW primary attracted controversy, with one candidate, Kerry Eddy, admitting that she supported independent candidate Dan Osborn. Eddy, who was a registered Democrat until March 2024, feared that the Legal Marijuana NOW Party's nominee could pull votes away from Osborn, who supports legalizing marijuana. Eddy was recruited to run by political blogger Julia Schleck, who had outlined a plan to run a candidate who would "sweep the primary and then take their name off the ballot and endorse Osborn, throwing their votes his way." Eddy denied that her intention was to drop out of the race after securing the nomination, though she said she would consider it.
Party chair Mark Elworth Jr. denounced Eddy's plan as "shenangians." The party instead supported Ken Peterson, who had been recruited to run by Elworth. Peterson alleged that supporters of Osborn had repeatedly urged him to drop out of the race. Osborn's campaign denied having any involvement in the Legal Marijuana NOW primary, though a pro-Osborn super PAC spent over $30,000 supporting Eddy's campaign.

Withdrew after nomination

  • Kerry Eddy, administrative coordinator ''''

    Lost nomination

  • Ken Peterson, compost facility attendant

    Fundraising

Results

Aftermath

After Kerry Eddy won the May primary by a wide margin, she said she was still evaluating whether or not to drop out of the race. Complicating Eddy's plan was that if she rejected the Legal Marijuana NOW Party's nomination, the party could simply name a replacement nominee. Mark Elworth Jr. pledged to seek the party's nomination for Senate if Eddy dropped out. It was also suggested that Elworth could use the party's ballot line to nominate a Democrat.
Eddy dropped out of the race on July 30 and endorsed Osborn, though she maintained that this had not been her intention from the start. The party had until September 3 to name a replacement nominee. On August 14, the party held a convention to determine whether or not a new nominee should be named and who that nominee would be. Supporters of Eddy and Osborn were barred from participating in the convention. In response, Eddy's campaign treasurer sent a letter to party leadership arguing that they had broken the law and that if they tried to name a replacement nominee, a lawsuit could be filed.
The party ultimately did not put forward a candidate. Elworth said the party did not have the resources to fight a lawsuit and that "we don’t want to deal with it." Unnamed members of the party alleged that Osborn and Eddy's supporters had taken it over in order to ensure it would not place a candidate on the ballot. Elworth called Osborn "dishonest" and said he would be voting for incumbent Deb Fischer, who opposes legalizing marijuana.

Libertarian Party

In March 2024, independent candidate Dan Osborn sought the support of the Nebraska Libertarian Party. However, he decided against this, instead running as an independent without any party's support.

Declined

  • Dan Osborn, mechanic and former president of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 50G ''''

    General election

Predictions

Fundraising

Endorsements

Polling

Aggregate polls

Deb Fischer vs. Dan Osborn vs. Kerry Eddy

Poll sourceDate
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Deb
Fischer 		Dan
Osborn 		Kerry
Eddy 		Undecided
Torchlight Strategies July 8–11, 2024698 ± 3.7%50%24%9%17%

Results

Results by county

;Counties that flipped from Republican to Independent
  • Thurston
  • Sarpy
;Counties that flipped from Democratic to Independent
  • Douglas
  • Lancaster

    By congressional district

Despite losing the state, Osborn won two of three congressional districts, which both elected Republicans.
DistrictFischerOsbornRepresentative
49%51%Mike Flood
44%56%Don Bacon
67%33%Adrian Smith