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LINCOLN — A Nebraska tradition returns as the Senate race between registered nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn and incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts will likely have only one debate at the state fair.
Some Nebraska elected officials have avoided debates in recent years. U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer didn’t debate Osborn in 2024. Nebraska Gov Jim Pillen didn’t participate in any debates on his way to the governor’s mansion in 2022.
Although Pillen is seen as vulnerable by some, with national polling showing Nebraska is led by one of the nation’s least popular incumbent governors, Pillen told the Examiner earlier this year that he won’t debate because he has been consistent about not doing debates.
“I don’t know why I would ever change that,” Pillen said.
Pillen’s 2022 campaign called debates “political theater.”
The current Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Lynne Walz, and Legal Marijuana NOW’s gubernatorial candidate, Rick Beard, both said they would “absolutely” participate in a debate.
Former Omaha state Sen. Brett Lindstrom, who turned in signatures to appear as a nonpartisan gubernatorial candidate, told the Examiner he would “welcome” a debate.
“Four years later, Nebraskans still haven’t heard from their governor. Let’s fix that,” Lindstrom said.
While the details are still being ironed out, Democratic nominee for the 2nd congressional district, Denise Powell, and Republican nominee, Brinker Harding, have agreed to three debates.
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As in other cycles, election analysts view the 2nd District as a top pickup opportunity for minority Democrats hoping to take over Republicans’ slim majority in the closely divided U.S. House. Outgoing Republican Rep. Don Bacon debated his opponents as the incumbent in 2024, 2022, 2020 and 2018.
In Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District, incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Flood’s campaign team said debates will happen, but details are not set in stone. Democratic nominee Chris Backemeyer’s spokesperson said they agreed to two debates. The 1st District comprises 12 counties, including Lancaster County, which is home to heavily Democratic Lincoln, a city whose blue voters are often drowned out by the region’s more conservative smaller cities and rural areas.
Flood has won his past two U.S. House elections by 20 and 16 percentage points, respectively. Analysts, including the nonpartisan Center for Politics, The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections, consider the 1st District seat safely Republican — though national Democrats see the race as competitive.
The state’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes central and western Nebraska and much of the state’s northeastern and southeastern edges, is among the nation’s most conservative by political party registration advantage and voting record.
That race has two nonpartisan candidates, one Democrat and a Legal Marijuana NOW candidate, David Else, trying to beat incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith.
One nonpartisan candidate, Mark Cohen, said he was approached about doing a debate. Macey Budke, the other nonpartisan candidate, said she hasn’t heard anything about a debate but would be open to one.
The Smith campaign said, “Congressman Smith regularly connects with constituents by holding tele-townhalls, traveling the district to visit main street businesses, schools, health care providers and family farms, and meeting with Nebraskans in their communities throughout the district.”
Becky Kelly Stille, the Democratic nominee, didn’t respond to a request for information about debates in the 3rd District.
The general election is Nov 3.
