内布拉斯加州参议院竞选中，里基茨击败独立候选人奥斯本成功连任 据“决策台总部”（DDHQ）预测，参议员皮特·里基茨（共和党-内布拉斯加州）击退了独立候选人丹·奥斯本的挑战，确保该州参议院席位继续由共和党掌控。
Ricketts wins reelection over independent Osborn in Nebraska Senate race Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) fended off a Senate challenge from independent Dan Osborn, Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) projects, keeping the Nebraska seat under GOP control.
里基茨在2024年赢得补选，填补前参议员本·萨斯（共和党-内布拉斯加州）的剩余任期，此次被视为赢得完整六年任期的热门人选。
Ricketts, who won the 2024 race to fill out the remainder of former Sen. Ben Sasse’s (R-Neb.) term, was the favorite to win a full six years in the upper chamber.
截至周三早些时候，在41%的选票统计完毕的情况下，里基茨获得约49%的选票，而奥斯本获得略高于45%的选票。
Ricketts garnered about 49 percent of the vote, while Osborn notched just over 45 percent with 41 percent of the vote reported as of early Wednesday.
但在“玉米人州”，共和党几十年来一直主导国会代表团和州长职位，奥斯本——这位在2024年竞选中仅以7个百分点之差败给参议员德布·费舍尔（共和党-内布拉斯加州）的独立候选人——再次发起了强有力的挑战。
But Osborn, an Independent who came within 7 percentage points of Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) in 2024’s race, put up another tough fight in the Cornhusker State, where Republicans have dominated the congressional delegation and governorship for decades.
内布拉斯加州约一半的注册选民是共和党人，民主党人仅占四分之一。奥斯本承诺，如果当选，不与任何党派结成党团。
GOP voters make up roughly half of registered voters in Nebraska, and Democrats make up just a quarter. Osborn promised not to caucus with either party if elected.
但里基茨和其他共和党人辩称，奥斯本是“披着羊皮的民主党人”，并指出他获得了州民主党的支持。
But Ricketts and other Republicans argued that Osborn was a Democrat in disguise, pointing to his support from the state party.
内布拉斯加州民主党人在2024年因与奥斯本发生争执而推出了一名写入候选人，但本轮竞选中他们集结在奥斯本身后。民主党2026年提名人辛迪·伯班克在初选后退出，为这位独立候选人铺平道路。
Nebraska Democrats, who put up a write-in candidate after a spat with Osborn in 2024, rallied behind him this cycle. Their 2026 nominee, Cindy Burbank, dropped out after the primary to clear a path for the independent.
支持里基茨的特朗普总统在大选前几周访问内布拉斯加州，作为其红州冲刺行程的一部分——州内操盘手认为，此举表明共和党对该竞选感到担忧。
President Trump, who supported Ricketts, visited Nebraska as part of his red-state blitz in the weeks ahead of the election — a move operatives in the state saw as a sign that Republicans were worried about the race.
尽管共和党在内布拉斯加州国会竞选中占优，但该州在总统大选中的记录更具变数。
Despite Republicans’ advantage in Nebraska congressional races, the state has a more dynamic record in the presidential race.
其位于奥马哈地区的“蓝点”选区——即第2国会选区——在近期选举中一直是摇摆选区，在2024年总统大选中投给了前副总统卡马拉·哈里斯，尽管内布拉斯加州的另外两个选区均投给了共和党。作为仅有的两个根据各选区结果分配选举人票的州之一，该选区为哈里斯增加了选举人票。
Its “blue dot” district in the Omaha area, the 2nd Congressional District, has been a swing seat in recent elections and went to former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 White House race, even as Nebraska’s other two districts went red. One of only two states that split their Electoral College votes based on individual district results, the seat added to Harris’s tally.