Ricketts outraises Osborn in latest report for Nebraska US Senate race

LINCOLN — Nebraska U.S Sen. Pete Ricketts’ reelection campaign raised $6.3 million from April through June, more than triple the amount raised by his opponent, registered nonpartisan candidate Dan Osborn. But, Osborn pointed out during an impromptu press conference earlier this month, the majority of Ricketts’ money came from the candidate himself. 

According to the latest campaign fundraising reports, Ricketts’ $6.3 million fundraising total included $5.2 million of his own money. Osborn raised about $1.9 million during the same three-month period. 

The former governor is facing one of his toughest challenges yet, as Osborn hopes to do better than his 2024 six-percentage-point loss to Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer. The Democratic nominee, Cindy Burbank, dropped out of the race earlier this month.  

Throughout the cycle from January 2025 to now, Osborn has raised $5.7 million, while Ricketts has raised $11 million. As of July 30, Osborn’s campaign has $2.4 million cash on hand to spend, and Ricketts’ has $6 million. 

The largest share of Osborn’s contributions from April through July came from donors in California, with Nebraska donors giving the second-largest share and New York in third, according to the latest Federal Election Commission data. Most of Ricketts’ contributions came from donors in Nebraska, New York and Illinois.

The Ricketts Victory Committee, a joint fundraising committee that invests in candidates and PACs that support Ricketts and other conservative candidates, raised $566,137 this quarter, according to federal records. The PAC sent about $233,374 to the Ricketts campaign.

The Ricketts Victory Committee often contributed funds to the Ricketts campaign, American Excellence PAC and the National Republican Senate Committee, which invests outside funds in Senate races in Nebraska and elsewhere. American Excellence PAC, another Ricketts-raised PAC, raised $154,637 this quarter. 

Those PACs and committees can be used for campaigning or campaign-adjacent activities. 

Osborn criticizes Ricketts’ donation

During his press conference earlier this month, called to criticize Ricketts’ self-donation,, Osborn pointed out that his campaign raised more than Ricketts without the self-donation. Osborn displayed a large fake $5.2 million bank check made out to “My sweet baby boy Pete Ricketts” — a reference to Ricketts’ father –  to “buy a senate seat.” Without the self-contribution, Ricketts raised about $1.1 million this quarter. 

“Ricketts believes spending is free speech; he believes his voice is louder because he can write a bigger check,” Osborn said at the press conference. 

The Ricketts campaign said in a statement Ricketts is “investing in his own campaign because he answers to Nebraskans.” The Ricketts campaign also said that “coastal Democrat billionaire donors” are continuing to fund Osborn’s campaign, which they call a “family grift,” referring to Osborn’s family receiving payments for work on the campaign. 

The race between Ricketts and Osborn has been heated and that is likely to continue with less than 100 days until Election Day. 

Former Nebraska Democratic Senate nominee Cindy Burbank, who was officially removed from the ballot this week, raised $35,415 in the second quarter and had $20,765 cash on hand as of June 30. The money could be transferred to other candidates’ races, political parties, PACs, charities, or even potential recounts, according to NBC News. 

Legal Marijuana NOW Party’s Senate nominee Mike Marvin, who is still in the race, raised $18,355 in the second quarter. He has $2,615 cash on hand.

The election is Nov. 3.