Nebraska Senate race candidate denies being a Ricketts ‘plant’

CNN reports a Nebraska Democratic Party Senate candidate says he voted for Trump multiple times and attended a Republican Party leadership conference in January.

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Nebraska Democratic Party Senate candidate William Forbes’ campaign tells KETV he’s not running just to help Pete Ricketts win in November.That’s what the Nebraska Democratic Party and the campaign for independent Dan Osborn allege.CNN reports that Forbes said he voted for President Donald Trump multiple times, attended a Republican Party leadership event this year, and used right-wing talking points in since-deleted sermon videos on his Facebook page.Forbes declined an interview with KETV, but provided a statement. He said he’s a “real Democrat in the mold of JFK and Ben Nelson.” Forbes also criticized both Osborn and Ricketts. The full statement is below.The Nebraska Democratic Party renounced Forbes’ campaign, saying the goal is to split votes against Ricketts. Democrats opted not to run a candidate for the Senate. The party says Osborn is the best candidate to prevent a Ricketts win. Another candidate running in the primary, Cindy Burbank, says on her website that Osborn is “a good man, a working man, a strike leader, and someone we can trust. He deserves a fair shot against Ricketts.”Burbank’s website says a vote for her is a vote against Ricketts. Burbank’s candidacy was restored by the Nebraska Supreme Court earlier this month. The secretary of state would not certify her candidacy, citing a lack of intention to win the race.The Ricketts campaign told KETV in a statement it “had no role in the Democratic primary. The only candidate in this race with a record of meddling in primaries and undermining the democratic process is Dan Osborn. Time and again, Osborn says one thing in public while doing the exact opposite behind closed doors.”William Forbes statement to KETVForbes told KETV: “CNN just got played like a cheap fiddle by Dan Osborn and his desperate crew. I’m a real Democrat in the mold of JFK and Ben Nelson — tough, practical, and focused on working families instead of coastal lunacy. What flies in radical California dies in Nebraska. Voters here want a strong Democrat who reaches across the aisle and actually unites people — not another phony independent puppet like Dan Osborn.””After a decade of Pete Ricketts dumping millions into Nebraska and destroying our safety net, wrecking our rural communities, and pushing his extreme agenda, Nebraska Democrats can’t afford to fall for this nonsense. It’s time for Nebraska Democrats to unite behind a real Democrat who puts Nebraska first.”Dan Osborn campaign statementOsborn campaign manager John Dolan told KETV: “It was painfully obvious that Pete Ricketts and Jessica Flanagain would have to revert to their classic dirty tricks – they know Pete can’t win a one-on-one matchup against Dan. Unfortunately for Ricketts, Bill Forbes’ Trojan-horse campaign is doomed.”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. —

Nebraska Democratic Party Senate candidate William Forbes’ campaign tells KETV he’s not running just to help Pete Ricketts win in November.

That’s what the Nebraska Democratic Party and the campaign for independent Dan Osborn allege.

CNN reports that Forbes said he voted for President Donald Trump multiple times, attended a Republican Party leadership event this year, and used right-wing talking points in since-deleted sermon videos on his Facebook page.

Forbes declined an interview with KETV, but provided a statement. He said he’s a “real Democrat in the mold of JFK and Ben Nelson.” Forbes also criticized both Osborn and Ricketts. The full statement is below.

The Nebraska Democratic Party renounced Forbes’ campaign, saying the goal is to split votes against Ricketts. Democrats opted not to run a candidate for the Senate. The party says Osborn is the best candidate to prevent a Ricketts win.

Another candidate running in the primary, Cindy Burbank, says on her website that Osborn is “a good man, a working man, a strike leader, and someone we can trust. He deserves a fair shot against Ricketts.”

Burbank’s website says a vote for her is a vote against Ricketts. Burbank’s candidacy was restored by the Nebraska Supreme Court earlier this month. The secretary of state would not certify her candidacy, citing a lack of intention to win the race.

The Ricketts campaign told KETV in a statement it “had no role in the Democratic primary. The only candidate in this race with a record of meddling in primaries and undermining the democratic process is Dan Osborn. Time and again, Osborn says one thing in public while doing the exact opposite behind closed doors.”

William Forbes statement to KETV

Forbes told KETV: “CNN just got played like a cheap fiddle by Dan Osborn and his desperate crew. I’m a real Democrat in the mold of JFK and Ben Nelson — tough, practical, and focused on working families instead of coastal lunacy. What flies in radical California dies in Nebraska. Voters here want a strong Democrat who reaches across the aisle and actually unites people — not another phony independent puppet like Dan Osborn.”

“After a decade of Pete Ricketts dumping millions into Nebraska and destroying our safety net, wrecking our rural communities, and pushing his extreme agenda, Nebraska Democrats can’t afford to fall for this nonsense. It’s time for Nebraska Democrats to unite behind a real Democrat who puts Nebraska first.”

Dan Osborn campaign statement

Osborn campaign manager John Dolan told KETV: “It was painfully obvious that Pete Ricketts and Jessica Flanagain would have to revert to their classic dirty tricks – they know Pete can’t win a one-on-one matchup against Dan. Unfortunately for Ricketts, Bill Forbes’ Trojan-horse campaign is doomed.”

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