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LINCOLN — The race to be the Democratic nominee for Nebraska’s 2026 U.S. Senate race is lopsided in campaign funding.
Cindy Burbank, a self-employed pharmacy financial counselor, outraised anti-abortion pastor William Forbes with a haul of $4,163 to Forbes’ reported tally of $0, according to federal fundraising reports for the first quarter.
The amounts are lower than in many other contested statewide races, but the Democratic Senate primary could affect the general election for incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts and registered nonpartisan Dan Osborn, who is petitioning his way onto the November ballot.
Both Burbank and Forbes joined the Democratic race on the last day to file for this cycle’s primary election. Burbank said she did so to keep Forbes off the general election ballot. The Nebraska Democratic Party and its Douglas County offshoot have labeled Forbes a Ricketts “plant.” The state party recently paid for a mailer showing all the Democratic candidates in state and federal elections. It leaves out Forbes, and a banner at the bottom says, “DON’T FALL FOR THE RICKETTS PLANT. WILLIAM FORBES VOTED FOR TRUMP THREE TIMES.”
Ricketts and his team have denied any involvement with Forbes.
Despite not raising funds, Forbes said, “fundraising is going strong.” He said, “We’re right where we need to be.”
“I’m focused on the real fight,” he said. “The road to stopping Donald Trump and his Nebraska puppet, Pete Ricketts … We’re not just raising money … we’re raising hell, and we’re going to beat Ricketts.”
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Forbes isn’t the broader Senate race’s only candidate being labeled a “plant.” Republicans and a former chair of the Legal Marijuana NOW Party called longtime labor leader Mike Marvin a “plant” for Osborn in the two-person primary for the Legal Marijuana NOW party.
Marvin has denied being a plant, and Osborn’s team has denied any involvement with his bid. Burbank paid the filing fee for Marvin, which was first reported by the Examiner.
She previously said that she paid for it because she was pissed off that the Secretary of State’s office didn’t take Marvin’s check. and said, “If Ricketts can throw his money around, then so can I!”
Marvin’s latest fundraising report listed the $1,740 payment from Burbank.
Burbank has said that she would drop out of the race after winning the Democratic Senate nomination, to give Osborn a one-on-one race against Ricketts. Nebraska Democrats did not recruit a Senate candidate, and the state party chair, Jane Kleeb, endorsed Osborn last year.
Burbank listed in $3,998 cash on hand. She received $3,500 from Megan Hull of California. Hull also donated $3,500 to Osborn this quarter, according to Federal Election Commission fundraising reports. Burbank didn’t immediately respond for comment on her fundraising.
Early voting has already started. Nebraska’s primary election is May 12. The general election is Nov. 3.
