Osborn, Fischer weigh in on practicality of being independent in U.S. Senate

The U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Sen. Deb Fischer and independent industrial mechanic Dan Osborn has been all over the airwaves in Nebraska.

Political attack ads have tried to align Osborn with Democrats, while some of Osborn’s own ads have drawn similarities between him and former president Donald Trump, but Osborn has remained firm in his stance that he would not align himself with either party if elected.

“I plan on challenging the system," he said. "Look, George Norris was the last independent Senator elected in Nebraska. He did not caucus with anyone his last term. He was the one who helped create the nonpartisan unicameral in Nebraska here that we enjoy, that I think DC could take a couple notes from.”

Norris served his final term in the U.S. Senate from 1937 until 1943.

Osborn turned down an endorsement from the Nebraska Democratic Party and refused to take money from corporations or political parties.

That hasn’t slowed down his fundraising, however. Osborn raised nearly $8 million as of mid-October, nearly matching Fischer’s total, according to the Federal Election Commission.

The independent remains the underdog in the race, though he’s made it much closer than many political experts anticipated in a state that hasn’t seen a U.S. Senate election decided by single digits since 2000.

If elected, Osborn could face additional challenges - and opportunities - without the backing of a party in the Senate in 2025.

Osborn would join Bernie Sanders and Angus King as independents, but unlike the other two, who align themselves with Democrats, Osborn said he would not caucus with either party.

Andrew Yang, who ran for president in 2020 and founded the Forward Party, said Osborn’s openness would increase his influence compared to partisan senators.

Yang visited Omaha in October, along with Forward Party executive chair Kerry Healey, to campaign for independent candidates including Osborn and legislative candidate Nick Batter.

“I'm going to suggest that Dan Osborn could immediately become one of the most influential senators, because people would actually know he's open for business with either side,” Yang said.

But if elected, a lack of party-backing could pose a challenge for Osborn in receiving committee assignments, which are typically given by party leadership.

Senate committees are responsible for conducting hearings on legislation, modifying bills and voting to determine whether they will advance to the Senate floor. Fischer, who is a member of six Senate committees and serves as the ranking member in the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, said Osborn would have to caucus with one of the parties in order to have a seat at the table.

“Mr. Osborn needs a civics lesson, to be blunt about this," she said. "You don't get committee assignments in the United States Senate unless you are caucusing with the Democrats or with the Republicans. That's how committee assignments are given.”

Diane Duffin, a political science professor at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, agrees.

“If he wants a committee assignment, I think he's going to have to decide to caucus with a party," she said. "I don't see the path to a committee assignment any other way.”

But Duffin said even if Osborn does end up caucusing with one of the parties, he could retain most of his political autonomy and influence.

“Every senator has got an enormous amount of leverage to be the guy who gets the deal done or the person who keeps the deal from happening,” she said.

Osborn remains adamant that, if elected, he won’t caucus with either party and said the Senate rules require each senator to serve on at least two committees.

In an ABC News article from September Osborn said quote, “I'll dial for dollars and I'll buy my committee assignments."

Later, Osborn told Nebraska Public Media he made the comment in jest, as a recognition of the absurdity of how senators gain influence.

“I was joking about that, but yeah, four hours of every single day of a congressman is spent dialing for dollars," he said. "And I was told by D.C. insiders that you basically buy your way on the committees, the best fundraisers, which is a load of crap.”

Fischer said his comment revealed a lack of understanding about how Washington operates.

“I am appalled that anybody who's running for public office would say they would buy a committee assignment," she said. "Either that shows arrogance or it shows a total disconnect with how the United States Senate works.”

The latest polling averages show Fischer with around a 2% lead heading into election day.