2026 primary election results: Senate

A total of eight candidates are challenging incumbent Republican Pete Ricketts to secure a U.S. Senate seat.

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2026 primary election results: Nebraska voters decide nominees in Senate race

AND OTHER STATEWIDE RACES COMING IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. ANOTHER RACE, THE NATION WILL BE WATCHING CLOSELY THIS NOVEMBER IS NEBRASKA SENATE SEAT. INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN SENATOR PETE RICKETTS HOLDS THAT SEAT. UNOFFICIAL RESULTS FROM THE PRIMARY SHOW. RICKETTS HAS SECURED THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY. UNOFFICIAL RESULTS SHOW SIDNEY BURBANK SECURING THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION. BOTH RICKETTS AND BURBANK ARE IN KEARNEY TONIGHT, KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S BETH CARLSON IS LIVE COVERING THAT RACE FROM THE DOUGLAS COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION. YES, AND BEHIND ME AT THE ELECTION COMMISSION, THOSE VOTES ARE BEING FINALIZED. BUT THE UNOFFICIAL DECLARED WINNERS OF BOTH PRIMARIES IN THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC U.S. SENATE RACE ARE CLEAR. AND IN SPEAKING WITH BOTH TODAY, IT IS CLEAR THAT BOTH RICKETTS AND BURBANK HAVE THEIR EYES ON NOVEMBER ALREADY. NOW, I SPOKE WITH BURBANK JUST MOMENTS AGO ABOUT HER REACTION, SIDNEY BURBANK PREVIOUSLY TOLD KETV SHE ENTERED THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY RACE, PARTIALLY TO STOP HER OPPONENT, WILLIAM FORBES, FROM SECURING THE NOMINATION. NOW, SHE SAYS HER GOAL IS DEFEATING RICKETTS IN NOVEMBER, EVEN IF THAT MEANS DROPPING OUT IN SUPPORT OF DAN OSBORNE. SINCE I’M GOING TO STAY IN THE RACE UNTIL IT’S OBVIOUS THAT I CAN’T WIN BECAUSE I’M NOT GOING TO STEAL ANY VOTES. I. I WAS ASKED THAT QUESTION EARLIER TONIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, I DESPITE RICKETTS SO BAD, I MIGHT PULL OUT OF THE RACE JUST TO BEAT THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF RICKETTS. INCUMBENT SENATOR PETE RICKETTS, THE UNOFFICIAL WINNER OF THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, IS RUNNING HIS FIRST REELECTION RACE AFTER BEING APPOINTED TO THE POSITION IN 2023. IN TALKING TO KETV AFTER VOTING THIS MORNING, RICKETTS BROUGHT UP DEMOCRAT BURBANK AND INDEPENDENT DAN OSBORNE IS NOW. COMPETITION ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. THE DEMOCRAT WON THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY CANDIDATES, SAYS SHE’S GOING TO DROP OUT AND ENDORSE DAN OSBORNE IF SHE WINS. IT PRETTY MUCH TELLS YOU. DAN OSBORNE IS A DEMOCRAT. NOW, OSBORNE DID NOT APPEAR ON ANYONE’S BALLOT TONIGHT. AS AN INDEPENDENT, HE MUST PETITION TO MAKE HIS WAY ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT AND CHALLENGE BOTH OF THE PRIMARY WINNERS FROM TONIGHT. NOW, I ASKED BURBANK ABOUT IF OR WHEN SHE WILL CONSIDER DROPPING OUT OF THE RACE. SHE SAYS SHE’S GOING TO TAKE A SECOND AFTER TONIGHT’S WIN, BUT SAYS THAT SHE WILL CONSIDER IT BEFORE HER NAME IS SOLIDIFIED ON THE BALLOT. WE’LL KEEP YOU UPDATED AS WE LEARN MORE, B

2026 primary election results: Nebraska voters decide nominees in Senate race

Updated: 10:16 PM CDT May 12, 2026

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A total of eight candidates were challenging incumbent Republican Pete Ricketts to secure a U.S. Senate seat.FULL RESULTS | U.S. SENATE | CONGRESS | GOVERNOR | STATE RACES | LEGISLATURE | DOUGLAS COUNTY | SARPY COUNTY | CASS COUNTY, NEBRASKA | WASHINGTON COUNTY | DODGE COUNTY | SAUNDERS COUNTY |Ricketts has earned the Republican nomination, defeating Todd Knobel, Eric Mortimore, Debb Axtell Schultz and Mac Stevens in the primary. Cindy Burbank defeated William Forbes for the Democratic nomination, while Mike Marvin defeated Earl Starkey for the Legalize Marijuana Now nomination. Click here if the AP embeds are not displaying on the KETV appKETV previously reported that Forbes denied claims that he is running to help Ricketts. The Nebraska Democratic Party is denouncing his campaign.Independent candidate Dan Osborn is working to gain signatures to appear on the ballot in November’s general election.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |

OMAHA, Neb. —

A total of eight candidates were challenging incumbent Republican Pete Ricketts to secure a U.S. Senate seat.

Ricketts has earned the Republican nomination, defeating Todd Knobel, Eric Mortimore, Debb Axtell Schultz and Mac Stevens in the primary. Cindy Burbank defeated William Forbes for the Democratic nomination, while Mike Marvin defeated Earl Starkey for the Legalize Marijuana Now nomination.

Click here if the AP embeds are not displaying on the KETV app

KETV previously reported that Forbes denied claims that he is running to help Ricketts. The Nebraska Democratic Party is denouncing his campaign.

Independent candidate Dan Osborn is working to gain signatures to appear on the ballot in November’s general election.

Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.